A little food for thought....

I heard a quote the other day and for some reason it just seems to be sticking with me and I'm trying to wrap my pretty little brain around it and what it means.  Yes, over thinking things isn't always the best but this particular quote can be a bit of helpful advice for anyone dealing with life and it's struggles.  It could be how they feel about themselves or how they are with their jobs, their families, their relationships; be it with their children or spouses, significant others, you name it.  I don't care who you are, everyone has troubles now and then.  And the ones who say they don't are either in denial or they are perfect.  Imagine that?  A perfect person!  LOL!

The quote that I heard was "Be happy with what you have, be okay with what you don't"!  And I'm sure that can be taken a million ways.  But what I get out of it is this:  You need to be okay with not having everything.  You need to set your bar a little lower.  I'm not saying you need to give up your dreams, goals and etc. But you will set yourself up for constant failure if you are constantly striving for that "perfect" life.  We aren't meant to be perfect.  I have questioned this lately of myself where my "bar" is.  And to be honest, I come to the realization that my bar has been a little high (like so high that I would need superpowers to see it, get to it, etc.)  

And while it seems a little crazy to some to think about stuff like this, I don't see it that way.  I'm glad that I'm open to these kind of things.  I want to grow!  I want to learn!  I want to be better!  I have struggled with many issues most of my life already:  my weight, my self-esteem, my confidence, my self-worth.  And the more I think about this quote, the more I think it's really a good thing to think about and a good rule to live by. 

Hiding behind masks....

I found this quote and it kind of hit home to me.  I run into people all the time and they say "Hello, how are you" and then they proceed to walk away.  What the hell would they do if a person (me) said back to them, "I'm not doing well at all"?  Would the person still walk away or would they take the time to truly see what is wrong.

So many people hide behind masks and for many reasons.  And it's their own business, if that is what they want to do but REALLY, why would you want to be fake?  And I have been guilty of that myself so I'm not judging.  I learned how to put a smile on and act like nothing is wrong a long, long time ago.  But there are a few people that truly know me and can see through me like a crystal clear window.  And I love that those people can do that.

Some people would be creeped out by that, not me.  I'm glad that these people know me like that...that they took the time to not take "I'm fine" for an answer.  I'm surprised more people don't see through me easier.  I don't hold my emotions back too much.  Anyone who knows me has seen me cry.  I have cried in the middle of Kroger's, Walmart, church, in a driveway, while running, in the middle of a rock concert, the beginning of a parade, the end of any race that I have ever ran in.  I don't care where I am at. 

There are so many reasons why people hide behind the "I am fine" mask.  They don't want to bother anyone with their problems.  They are afraid to be looked upon as being "too sensitive".  They have their reasons and it's their prerogative to not share that with anyone.  I find it therapeutic to write about my feelings and also to talk them out with certain people.  And I'm finding out that there are others like me.  

So, the next time I see someone in a store and I tell them "Hello, how are you", I will pause to listen to them, if need be.  And the next time that I wish that I wasn't such as big baby, I will remember that it's so much better to not "hide" behind that mask.  There is nothing wrong with crying when you need to cry, screaming when you need to scream.  It's okay to not be okay all the time!  So, try not to hide those things about you that you don't like because the more you start to accept yourself for who you truly are, the smiles and the laughs will be truly genuine.