With the internet booming and social media lies, people seem to think they have the opportunity to judge other people for things they don't have together. Most of you who have read my articles know that I am a free-spirited person, I don't do labels or routines. My days don't always look alike and I like that, even as confusing as it can be at times.
I am a single parent of four beautiful daughters, who all are creative, intelligent and beautiful. They are all different and have their own struggles and problems, but that's where I shine, being the mother that each of them needs without smothering them. A lot of people do not agree with my parenting, but I do NOT care. My children's opinion of me is the only opinions I care for.
The problem is, we all seek the approval of others when we need to only focus on how we feel about ourselves. We post what others post, and following the footsteps of others. Instead, we should break the walls down and make our own paths. Find happiness within yourself and everything else will fall into place.
Stress on top of stress can kill you! Struggling to fit into other boxes will cause stress because you will NEVER fit in, the people who set those standards don't fit in either. Pay attention to the ones who don't fit in the box. Hell, Beyoncé doesn't fit in a box, nor does Erykah Badu, Rihanna, Pink, or India Arie, because they walk to the beat of their own drums. It's not what anyone else wants for their lives, but what they want.
Ask yourself these questions, what makes you happy? What are you doing that you don't particularly like? Who is in your ear making you do what they want? Follow the things that cause you to smile and let go of the rest. Set yourself free from the things and people that bind you, abuse you or don't value you.
'Some people feel the rain and others just get wet.'
You have to see life as more than just your neighborhood, more than the people you know, more than the community that surrounds you. There is more to life than the bubble you place yourself in. On Netflix, there is a series by National Geographic called 'One Strange Rock'. It's hosted by Will Smith and follows the eyes of several astronauts including Mae Jemison, Chris Hadfield, Jerry Linenger and Nicole Stott. They show how big the earth is and the things that are beautiful for them. It shows you that there is more to life than the pettiness and stress that holds you hostage. (Pettiness is another article altogether).
No one cares about your happiness except you, which is what took me over 30 years to figure out. I am learning happiness, I am learning peace and I am learning to follow my own rules. So those who talk about me can stress trying to figure me out. Those who hate me can hate alone. I am focused, I am determined, and I am following what makes me happy. What about you?
