Be Happy!

 

I came across this today and it resonated with me as I had just finished listening to Hidden Brain's Rewrite Your Money Story podcast. The podcast explores the idea that how we feel about and treat money is often rooted in our family history. 

While the podcast was about how our relationship with and ideas on money form, I thought about how my childhood impacted my adult beliefs in other areas. It was ingrained in us to be aware of how other people see our behaviors. I can remember my mother saying to me, "Before you do (insert an action), make sure you are okay with it being on the front page of a newspaper tomorrow." The ultimate "you should care what others think about you" lesson.

Whew. In all fairness my mom had no idea I would take that to mean literally almost every decision I would make in the future. I thought though if I could always do the right thing than nobody would have anything bad to say about me. The best pictoral for the reality is this:

 I have learned that even when I try to do the right thing there are people who still judge and think the worst of me. Not just me of course - of everyone. I have most likely been guilty of this as well. Shame on me.

So, I am using the top meme to remind me to just live my life and be happy.