A crowd gathers in front of a water fountain, all smiles and arms around each other.  The sun is bright and warm; there is no rain, nor wind.  Everyone is getting along; there are jokes and smiles.  The camera flashes, the shot is posted on social media and many people not present that day wish they were there.

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The trouble with snapshots is that instead of averages, they only show instantaneous versions of reality. By only viewing that picture, we could never understand the struggles and opportunities that came for those people in and around the time of that picture.  The snapshot never shows the highs and lows as a whole.

 

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This is precisely why we should not take what others say about us to be fully true.  Their comments are mere snapshots of intermittent data, pieced together to form a vague opinion.  Their unknowns are filled in by speculation to weave a story because stories are easier to tell. And while they are entitled to opinion, we are not obligated to believe them.  Also, consider that their comments are also heavily influenced by their mood, environment, personal background and experiences at the time they said them.  That “opinion” may have even been passed down to them like old jeans.

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Just because someone says something, doesn’t make it true.

 

The answer is to understand your values and identity, making you comfortable in who you are and in the decisions you make. Understand why you are doing what you are doing.  Your opinion is most accurate, all others’ are biased.

 

Have the discipline to stick to your identity to avoid being derailed by the snapshots of others.

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Here's what helps me find my way...

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