Personal Advice

From a post on my other blog about visiting Pearl Fryar’s Topiary Garden:

Listening to him did serve as a good reminder that you can’t stand out if you just keep doing the same thing everyone else is doing. You have to be willing to try something different, to actually BE different than everyone else. Such a valuable lesson, no matter what your chosen vocation.

I think the advice holds up, whether you want to talk about art, writing, career, or being a better person/friend. Sometimes standing out is as easy as smiling or listening, because it is different from what most people do throughout their days.

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    What we need to do, is start untying other people actions and reactions, from ourselves. The abuser chose to abuse. The people who refused to help, made that choice, and the people who still don’t believe us, have their own reasons for doing that. None of it has anything to do with us, those are other people making their own choices, playing their own game. We can do everything right, live our life to the best of our abilities and still “lose” in these interactions. It happens. It doesn’t lessen us, it shows us who these other people are, and tells us about their agendas.

    We learn from that, and move on. We do not blame ourselves for their agendas.

    It does take developing a more mature lens to view life through, and that takes time, and work. Are you up for it? Or maybe the better question, are you tired of blaming yourself?

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