Keep Being You
There comes a point in life when you realize that no matter what you do, someone will have an opinion about it. They'll think you're working too hard or not hard enough. They'll believe you're too quiet or too outspoken. They'll question your decisions without knowing the circumstances that led to them. They'll make assumptions based on a single moment while never seeing the countless moments that came before it. For a long time, I found that incredibly frustrating. I wanted to be understood. I wanted people to know my intentions. I wanted fairness. As I've gotten older, though, I've realized something that has brought me an incredible amount of peace. Most people's opinions are formed from a perspective that is far smaller than the life you're actually living. Every one of us is carrying a story that the world rarely gets to see. People see the smile you wear at work, but they don't see the sleepless night that came before it. They notice th...