Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambition.
Small people
always do that, but the really great make you feel that you,
too, can become great.
always do that, but the really great make you feel that you,
too, can become great.
Mark Twain
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Today's Meditation:
* * * * *
Today's Meditation:
It's very difficult to "keep away from people."
After all, they're our species, and there is a draw to others with whom we
share so much. But sharing DNA and physical similarities really isn't
enough--just as a thief can rob us of our possessions, many people can rob us of
attributes such as our self-esteem and our confidence, qualities that are
extremely important for getting along and moving ahead in our lives.
I used to have friends that brought me down pretty constantly. They
weren't bad people, but they weren't people who made me feel good,
either. One of the hardest things that I ever did in my life was to cut
them out of my lives, and it was astonishing to realize after a week of not
being with them just how good I felt about everything. I came to realize
that the things that they focused on in life were not the things I wanted to be
focusing on, and the ways that they talked and the things that they said were
destructive and not constructive.
We all have people in our lives who belittle us because we're all in company of
people who are insecure and who really don't love themselves at all. When
people feel that way about themselves, they tend to lash out at others, making
fun of them and their ambitions, treating them poorly, trying to belittle them
so that they can feel better about themselves (even though they really
don't). One of the most important strategies that we can develop in our
lives is to stay away from such people and search out the company of those who
encourage us, compliment us sincerely, and make us feel good about ourselves.
Life is short--too short to spend it in the company of people who make us feel
bad. So find those people who make you feel good, hang around with them
and do your best to make them feel good, too--and you just may find some very
positive and helpful relationships developing!
* * * * *
Questions to consider:
* * * * *
Questions to consider:
Why is it so easy to continue to hang around people who make us feel bad?
How might we start to recognize those people who make positive contributions to
who and what we are?
What can we do to make sure that we're people who make others feel good, and
not people who belittle their ambition?
* * * * *
For further thought:
* * * * *
For further thought:
People build closeness by giving friendship priority, by being
honest and showing their feelings. I like to call it being
transparent. They communicate warmth, touch, talk about their affection,
give each other space, allow change, limit expectations, listen, and offer
loyalty and trust. They avoid trying to control
or manipulate their friends. They don't criticize and they don't become
dependent. It takes practice to be a
good friend, and we all make mistakes. Friendship, like love, is
something you do, something you give that comes back to you.
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