Don’t Take it Personally

Try not to take things other people say about you too personally. What they think and say is a reflection of them, not you.

People gossip, and people talk trash.  It sucks and it hurts.  I’m not going to pretend otherwise.  We all do it.  We shouldn’t, but we do.  When I say don’t take it personally, I sincerely mean it.  I also know that when it happens, it’s hard not to take it personally, because it’s personal.  It’s about you!

I also know this.  When someone is talking about you, it’s a reflection of them, not you.  I’ve noticed that if I’m talking poorly about somebody, the things I am talking about are things I find lacking in myself.  Maybe it’s easier to talk about somebody else rather than look honestly at myself and fix it.  It gives me the chance to do that whole righteous indignation thing, I guess.  So with this blog post, I have two things going on.  I’m going to really try hard to talk about other people.  Instead, when I feel the need, I’m going to take a moment and reflect inward and figure out if I’m really talking about me, and maybe start to work on those things.  And when I know people are talking about me, I’m not going to take it personally.  It’s on them, not on me.  My goal is to work on me, and fix me, and your goal should be to work on you and fix you.  So let them talk and don’t take it personally.