Sometimes, I feel like Mrs. Roosevelt here could add a little clause to the end: "but that doesn't mean that people won't still try."
Do you ever feel that? Do you ever feel like there are some people who just ooze superiority? People who say that one liner that makes you feel dumb, or make that expression of skepticism that just makes you feel just so warm and fuzzy inside? People who save their sarcasm and pessimism just for you and your good mood? They're lurking around out there.
They're the people who never seem to be wrong. They're the ones who will fight that their opinion is the correct one even though it's not quite possible to have an "incorrect" opinion. They're the ones who get better grades than you in the same class even though they study less and do less work. They're the ones who, without a doubt, you ONLY see when you didn't shower the night before and you put your greasy hair in a bun in your first class of the day.
Don't think I'm whining, though. (I'm totally whining here).
The thing is, though, Eleanor Roosevelt is still right.
Sometimes people can be rude, smelly jerks, but she's still right. No one can make you feel like you are less than what you worth.
Because, when it really comes down to it, it's your choice to let people's digs dig at you.
I tend to overreact when I see people who have made me feel dumb in the past. But think about it. Join me now and step aside from your frustrations and your biases and think about it objectively:
Maybe they didn't mean to.
Maybe they aren't struggling in the class you are, but they might be struggling in a class that you aren't. Maybe they're having a bad hair day too.
Maybe they hate to feel inferior as much as you do. (news flash: absolutely no one likes feeling inferior)
The key here is that you don't know. Just like they don't know everything you're going through, you can't possibly know exactly what they are going through. You just can't know. Give them, give EVERYONE, the benefit of the doubt, just as you want to receive.
"Love your enemies and bless them that curse you."
It's definitely hard to do, but I know that it is possible. And, believe it or not, it's so worth it, too.
[But, in all your lovin', be sure you don't mis-interrupt. It definitely doesn't say "love your enemies and bless them that curse you and spend all of your free time and energy and emotional investments with your enemies and those that curse you."
Loving others, in my own opinion, isn't contingent upon allowing yourself, and your self-esteem, to be torn down constantly. Find the balance.]
But try it. Go on out and show some love. You'll love how it makes you feel.*
And if you didn't believe Eleanor Roosevelt, here's some Abe Lincoln for ya.
(Just because I have an awesome Pinterest quote board and I couldn't resist)
*Or money back guaranteed. Because, really, you're going to love how much love is guaranteed to fill your heart.
