Here's why you can rely on yourself

Life is all about how you react to the noise in your life.

Noise = someone who says you're too needy, too sensitive, you’re asking for too much in a partner or your career, you’re weird for having a certain hobby, interest or dream, etc.

Life is all about how you react to THAT noise.

I'm not advocating that you shouldn't care or that you should just roll solo...

But I do think you should simply hear that noise and be OK with it because no one knows you like you do. No one knows WHY you have the understanding of the world you do. No one knows how you've come to have a certain goal, dream, standard or boundary.

Most people you encounter in your life - with the exception of family and lifelong friends or partners - are hopping in on a random page.

You’re living each day, each page and each chapter but they're just hopping in a random day.

- That person you met on a dating app - you’ve lived 29 chapters before they met you on chapter 30.

- Your new colleague at work - you’ve lived 23 chapters before they met you at chapter 24.

- That new friend, that business partner, that stranger on the internet, etc. - they’re meeting you at random time amidst a much longer timeline of chapters you've already lived.

Only you know the chapters you’ve already lived. Those are chapters that taught you about yourself, who you are, what you want and what you deserve. Those are chapters that are close to your heart.

Only you know them and because of that… you CAN rely on yourself.

- You’re dating someone and they start saying things like you’re too direct or eager? Only you know WHY you’re that way. Only you know what happened on chapter 24. Only you know why you’ve grown to speak up for yourself and what you want. They don’t.

- Someone tells you your passion for standup comedy is silly? They think you're goofy or you try too hard. Only you know that making other people smile and laugh is something near and dear to your heart - that you made a promise to your grandmother when she was about to pass away that you’d make others smile just as she has made you smile.

Hear all that noise but you stay centered in knowing you CAN rely on yourself.

If someone wants to label you a certain way, let them.

If someone wants to say you’re too loud, let them.

They don’t know you. They don’t know your WHY. They don’t know that you didn’t used to stand up for yourself but now you finally do and you're never going back. You’ve overcome a lot.

So let them make their commentary. You know your WHY.

If someone wants to say your standards are too high, let them. They don’t know you. They don’t know your why. They don’t know that you didn’t used to have a very high opinion of yourself and that anyone who showed interest in you was good enough for you. They don’t know you lost yourself in that process. But you did the inner work and now you refuse to go back to being that passive person.

So let them make their commentary. You know your WHY.

If someone wants to say you’re weird and your passions are immature, let them. They don’t know you. They don’t know your why. They don’t know that you never used to feel useful or talented. They don't know that you never use to feel you had a purpose in life. But then you found your voice, your talent or your creative side and it's built your self esteem.

So let them make their commentary. You know your WHY.

You know your full story. They simply do not.

You can allow their noise to convince you that you ARE indeed too loud, too needy, your standards are too high and you're a freakin' weirdo... OR you can assign their commentary to your junk folder. Straight to spam.

That first date on Hinge who refuses to understand you? That colleague who thinks you’re overeager? That friend of a friend who thinks you’re weird? That stranger on the internet who says your seflies are too thirsty?

Let them be. Because you can rely on yourself.