One common joke in my life is: “Well It’s on the Internet, it HAS to be true”.
The real truth is that people are always trying to put THEIR thoughts in YOUR head.
I mean, sure I may or may not have believed in the Easter bunny until well into my 20’s but that was simply because I love, love, love Cadbury cream eggs. I was convinced that the clucking bunny rabbit in their commercials was the only logical way that such deliciousness could be created.
So let’s talk about some things that the world is trying to make you believe that just simply ARE NOT true.
1. You Need a College Degree
Despite what your parents might tell you, you DO NOT need a college degree. College isn’t for everyone, depending on what you want to do. I think the funny thing about college is that it happens to come along during your most formative years. For some people, college is exactly what they need. For some others, it is the last thing they need. Like I said, it depends on what it is that you want to do for a living, NOT what your parents or other people think you need to do.
At 18, you just might not know the answer to the “what do you want to be when you grow up” question – and that’s okay. I didn’t know what I wanted to do for a living until I was 32, and look at me now! ( a year later).
2. There is a Right/Wrong Religion
This one I could talk about for DAYS. To quote an old Ray Wiley Hubbard Song, “Buddha was not a Christian, but Jesus would’ve made a good buddhist. ” Believe what you want to believe. I’m pretty sure every religion on the planet preachers tolerance, so why are really religious people the least tolerant people you’ll ever meet? You know what else is totally okay? Not believing in any religion. Spiritualism is as individual of an experience as we humans can have.
Personally, I think we could have come from aliens. Maybe you think there was really just 2 people and they bred, and somehow the gene pool hasn’t dried up and evaporated. Be a good Person – that’s all that really matters, which coincidentally is the foundation of ALL of the religions.
3. You’re Not Pretty Enough
This is a thought that marketing campaigns have been built on since the inception of marketing, and it is ridiculous. You are perfect just the way you are, and you always have been. Did you hear that ladies? You are beautiful, and the second someone tries to convince you otherwise just know – that is a projection of their own insecurity and should never feed yours. You know why? Because being beautiful nothing to do with what people can see. You can quote me on that.
4. It’s Weird to be Quirky
The people who even use the word “quirky” to refer to someone else are generally such carbon copies of each other, that it’s like they got the same “Stepford Wife” programming, and anyone who doesn’t fit in their mold is different and weird. If you ask me, it’s weirder to try to fit in with everyone else simply based on some idea that “normal” is the way to go. Yep, get in line, dress like you are supposed to, say what you’re supposed to say…
That isn’t creepy at all. Being an individual is what makes us each amazing in our own way. There is nothing amazing about fitting in with everyone else. It just means that you’re willing to have everyone around you dictate how you should think, feel, and act. Embrace the quirks.
5. Your Sexual Orientation Matters
Nope. This is another belief that only matters to the people who DON’T agree with you. Who cares what you do behind closed doors, as long as it’s not illegal (minors, animals, the unwilling). If two people love each other, and want to share intimacy, who is anyone else to judge them for that.
Once again, this boils down to conformity. People are weird about things that are different from what they believe, and that is fine – let them be narrow-minded. It should never effect your opinion of yourself.
You know how amazing this planet would be if people would just quit trying to tell everyone else how to live? I’m not talking about laws, because some for those exist for a reason, I am talking about telling people what it is that they should do, or be, or think in their lives. So because I know that people will NEVER quit telling you what you should believe in, I think the first step is just to ignore them. Just casually say, “I appreciate your opinion, but I am going to do whatever the hell I want to do because this is my life – not yours”.
Maybe after someone who’s trying to force their opinions on everyone else has heard that enough times, they’ll shut their mouth and get to living their own life, instead of trying to influence yours…and the world will be a greater place for that.
