Even the busiest of the people will gladly find time out of their lives to criticize you- behind your back or right on your face. While you struggle to live up to everyone’s expectations, the murmur among the people never seems to die. Each human being possesses thoughts and perspectives of their own leading to the situation that no one will ever manage to please everyone around them. And that sort of thing isn’t even necessary. Really. So, no matter what the world says, it is quite alright to-
- Be a homemaker OR a working woman: Depending on the thoughts the people around you hold, they will either encourage you to work, or nag you to leave your job; which is absolutely none of their business. You are an adult possessing complete sanity to think about what works best for you. Your choice is your own. Your child, your home, your job, your life.
- Make mistakes: Unless you are literally or figuratively stabbing someone in the heart, mistakes are alright. If you have hurt someone, apologize and move on. Took a bad decision that ruined your life? Forgive yourself and be cautious next time. You are human. You are bound to make some serious errors in life, but you are intelligent enough to learn from them, right?
- Be selfish: Being a good human being is like wearing beautiful but heavy earrings. People love them, but you have to bear its weight. It is a treat to others when you are all nice, but a burden to your own self. It makes sense only when everyone else is nice, too. But when there are selfish people around you, it is okay to be selfish, too. It is okay to cancel a birthday party or a wedding to relax at home. It is okay to say no when you don’t want to say yes. People will act like you have committed a great sin by refusing to hang out with them, attend their parties or by refusing to give them a helping hand. But it is absolutely okay to be an occasional introvert or refuse to help others when you genuinely can’t. Don’t overdo altruism. Don’t ignore a dying person if you come across one either.
- Have negative experiences: In case you haven’t noticed, the world is filled with both positive and negative stuff, and that their co-existence will prevail whether you like it or not. The positive stuff makes you feel good; the negative stuff does not make you feel good and that’s the reason you strive to attain all that’s good and avoid all that’s bad. But all that’s bad will exist nonetheless, no matter what everyone tries to do about it. Because it’s a part of life. And there’s nothing wrong about that. No need to fuss about it. All you can do is accept it and try to get out of any tight spot you are caught in and help others as well. With a calm mind.
- Not follow the crowd: Fashion may work that way, but real life can’t. The crowd you are trying to imitate is nothing but a seeming majority of people who have no idea what they are doing with their life. Most probably, your favorite way to live your life is to watch what other high-class people indulge in and try to impersonate them. Getting the latest iPhone, buying expensive clothes, choosing an international school for kids, vacationing in exotic places, visiting dimly lit restaurants (even after the invention of electricity), boozing, having late night parties and posting the photos on social media. If you can’t pull out that kind of a life, you end up thinking you’re a loser. And you stare open-mouthed at those who can. Nah, don’t do that. Your life, your rules.
- Give up: People swoon over the “Do or die” and “Never say die” attitudes. They like to cheer for those who struggle hard and jeer at those who didn’t. It is a great thing to strive for success, but it also alright to give up on stuff sometimes. Sometimes, your mental peace is more important than recognition, fame, money, and successes. Think about what exactly are you struggling for or whether it is worth so much of your efforts and mental energy.
Once you realize that it’s quite alright to shake off the rigid beliefs of the society around you, you can breathe a sigh of relief and go live a life the way you want to.
You may also want to read other articles written by the same author: ‘Fun alternatives for ladies on career break‘, ‘Bridging the gap using online resources‘, ‘Stress: Lets deal with it‘, ‘No Matter what the world says, It is ok to… live your life‘, ‘A little guide to positivity‘ ‘Ways to Selfmotivation- Your key to success’, ‘Why you need to prioritise yourself‘
About the author:
Radhika completed her B.A. and M.A (Gold medal) in Sanskrit from the Mumbai University. She has a passion for languages especially English, Sanskrit, and German and has written articles on Upanishads. She provides content development services. She likes teaching and writing. Her hobbies include reading and listening to music.
(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)
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