Everyone is doing it...

Funke had become a shadow of herself. As she stared at her image in the mirror,  She wondered where she got it all wrong. She only wanted to 'fit in' and get the acceptance and approval of her friends. Living above her means had been quite devastating but she just had to.
She had falsified records as her friends instructed her to. After all, that's what 'everyone does'. She even spent her life savings to acquire an apartment in the 'fancy' side of the City. She could not afford a car so she obtained a loan and bought a 'tokunbo'. She smiled, "at least, I have a car".
 She was drowning in the emptiness she felt within.
As she drove to her office, she reflected on the choices she had made in the past month. She figured she had been living her life in accordance to the script written by her friends and 'everyone'.

                           
                                            ***

             If we live for other people's approval
                  We will die by their rejection
                        -Lecrae Moore

Several times we struggle to fit in, get accepted by people because we feel like, if we do not receive the approval of others, we would be odd and our lives would be incomplete. Thus, even if it means making choices or taking steps that are obviously in the wrong direction, we pay less attention to the 'rightness' or 'wrongness' of our actions, so long as we get to receive a pat on the back for doing the 'right' thing.



One thing we must understand is this, one cannot be like everyone and be an EXAMPLE. To live an impactful life, one must be rational in making decisions. You cannot afford to fashion your life in accordance with what 'everyone is doing' especially where the popular opinion is one that is obviously wrong and unacceptable.

Don't live to get the acceptance of others. The fact that everyone is doing a thing does not make it the right thing to do. We must learn how to stand for the right thing and not just move along with everyone all in the name of 'everyone is doing it'.


Comments

  1. AbimbolaDecember 14, 2019 at 12:50 PM

    This is a lovely piece. It's a reminder to myself cos' most times I jerked myself from trying to 'fit in' and tell myself ' You're you and nobody can be the better you'. I like the part you said 'we cannot be like everyone and be an EXAMPLE', like i said earlier 'Nobody can be you'. Good job Favour!

    ReplyDelete
  2. BenDecember 20, 2019 at 12:55 PM

    This is a very nice piece Favour. I believe it's very important we don't waste time/life living someone else's life. Like Steve Jobs once said "...your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.“

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Pheyy's BlogApril 7, 2020 at 2:53 PM

      Indeed, we must courageously stand for what is right.

      Thank you, Ben.

      Delete
  3. SpirituallyAwareApril 11, 2020 at 6:53 AM

    "If we live for people's opinion, we would die by their rejection!!!" This statement never grows old! Its a timeless truth! Thanks for the reminder, girlfriend!

    ReplyDelete

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