If You Don't Like It, Look Elsewhere.

Today's life lesson for me is simple. I am never going to please everyone else, and trying to do so will only result in me feeling physically exhausted, mentally overwhelmed, and emotional drained. And really, who wants that? 

Instead of spending time trying to give people what I think they want, I will focus on me. What can I do to be healthier? What will satisfy my own needs? What fuels my spirit and my soul? 

Perhaps you're wondering, how would that really play out in real life? Can a person actually get through the day focusing on actions that improve their life rather than reactions that help others? 

Yes, a person can. I can. And *YOU* can. And here's a real-life example for you to consider. 

Some people blog about their eating habits. Others blog about their physical fitness activities. Some share jokes or inspirational messages. And still others rant about people or things that bother them. In response to those different types of entries, people love to criticize. 

"Why do people post recipes? I can check the recipe section if want that." 
"Yeah, we get it, you work out every day. So what? We're tired of hearing about it." 
"That joke offends me." 
"I've seen that inspirational poster a hundred times today. People should stop posting it." 
"Stop complaining about your life. Others have it worse than you do." 

So you want to write a blog entry of your own but don't know what to do. How do you communicate your own thoughts without making someone else unhappy? 

Easy. You don't think about others at all. You write what is on YOUR heart, what is in YOUR mind, what matters to YOU. You act like a mature adult, focus on your words, and everyone else can take it or leave it. This is your journey, not theirs. 

Another example, this one personal? Sure. People tease me that I am always posting pictures of myself. I have been accused of being vain and full of myself. And I've actually been "advised" that people who aren't at their goal weight might be bothered by some of my photos. (Seriously. I've had all of those reactions over the last three years.) 

My response? "If you don't like it, look elsewhere." No one is forced to read my blogs, and if they are tired of my pictures, they have only themselves to blame for continuing to read my new ones. 

The message here is simple, my friends. You only have so much energy. Why waste any of it worrying about people that simply don't matter to your own success? Focus, instead, on you and your needs. 

Personally, I post photos of myself to remind me that I am no longer the man who hides from the camera. And that is a message worth hearing daily. 

 
(See? Smiling always makes a person look great!)