To be or not to be. It certainly was and remains to be the question. To 'be' is to live. To exist. And in this existence of ours we are faced with the choice: to be this or to not be that. But along the way of choosing our own adventure we face a whole whack of expectations, and not all are the great kind. We encounter these expectations - good or bad - everywhere we turn. Ads tell us how to dress, behave, and what products to consume. Our friends, family, and loved one impose their demands on us in order to label us reliable or irresponsible, considerate or thoughtless. Pressure in the workplace to surpass your colleagues and meet your targets lands us ahead or behind the pack, all under the watchful eye of upper management. Now, I suppose it's ok to have high expectations for yourself (although you may want to tread carefully when it comes to holding on to far-fetched standards), but more typically, we are guilty of putting more weight in the opinions of others than that of our own.
But we aim to please. We bend over backwards to attain these expectations. We intentionally project that for us everything simply comes both naturally and effortlessly. We front that flawless image of who we are. Now I get that there are many times where pretending you're Mr. or Ms. Amazing and Fabulous can work out in your favour -- I can turn a blind eye to a complimentary beverage on the house, preferred seating at the game, or even skating out of a speeding ticket. But by and large why on earth are we actually parading around as part of an artificial facade? What puzzles me most though is: to please whom? Really, who are we trying to impress with the song and dance? Who's approval is so crucial? What's more, is often times we fall short of the mystique we are boasting anyway. Sending out the message that you are something you are not, is not only fake, it's hypocritical, because here you are clinging to the idea that you are genuine and 'real' in the first place.
You may have heard or even used the phrase "I don't care what other people think!" But saying this and putting it into practice are two completely different things. What I think it really all boils down to, is that the true measure of who we are is how we choose to be or not to be when no one is around playing big brother. If you're comfortable with your actions and can support your thought processes and decisions, why are you changing to satisfy another?
So are we putting too much weight in what others think of us? It depends. But I do think its important to consider the source. As the world renowned Dr. Seuss once wrote, "Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." I think more people should take the good Dr's advice. Plus, what fun would life be if we only ever followed what's expected of us, even if it is a great expectation.
But we aim to please. We bend over backwards to attain these expectations. We intentionally project that for us everything simply comes both naturally and effortlessly. We front that flawless image of who we are. Now I get that there are many times where pretending you're Mr. or Ms. Amazing and Fabulous can work out in your favour -- I can turn a blind eye to a complimentary beverage on the house, preferred seating at the game, or even skating out of a speeding ticket. But by and large why on earth are we actually parading around as part of an artificial facade? What puzzles me most though is: to please whom? Really, who are we trying to impress with the song and dance? Who's approval is so crucial? What's more, is often times we fall short of the mystique we are boasting anyway. Sending out the message that you are something you are not, is not only fake, it's hypocritical, because here you are clinging to the idea that you are genuine and 'real' in the first place.
You may have heard or even used the phrase "I don't care what other people think!" But saying this and putting it into practice are two completely different things. What I think it really all boils down to, is that the true measure of who we are is how we choose to be or not to be when no one is around playing big brother. If you're comfortable with your actions and can support your thought processes and decisions, why are you changing to satisfy another?
So are we putting too much weight in what others think of us? It depends. But I do think its important to consider the source. As the world renowned Dr. Seuss once wrote, "Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." I think more people should take the good Dr's advice. Plus, what fun would life be if we only ever followed what's expected of us, even if it is a great expectation.
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