The New Me - Turning a New Leaf

I'm tired of feeling shame, judgment and less-than some others. Whatever the judgments are, they are unloving and I don't accept them.

People sometimes have bad behavior-no one's perfect. I accept people but I don't accept bad behavior. I don't even expect the opposite treatment because it doesn't matter. I just declare that I don't accept bad things and will not let them effect me.

A person will get walked on and treated badly until they stand up and defend themselves. I didn't stand up for many years because I wanted to be nice. Now I know that 'nice' doesn't equal 'doormat', I can be nice and yet defend myself. Being nice does not mean being a sitting duck-a target for bad behavior.

To me, "Judge not and be not judged" means let your heart be free from judgment because what goes around comes around. Others will judge me but their judgment is a reflection of them, not me.

Judging is concerning myself with another person. I want patient, loving, kind and merciful traits in my character. Therefore, I'll work on developing those traits while being uplifting and only judging myself.

Standing Strong

I read something today that really hit me, it said, "Don't give in to the pressure of others." It seems like if I don't agree with someone on something they'll pressure (bully) me to believe (or at least accept) what they believe. I won't cave on my beliefs. I'll stand strong even when bullied. I'll respect the individual (and hope they'll respect me) but I'll stand for my beliefs.

When someone bullies me or states the unfairness of something, what good does it do to buy into the drama? I believe what I believe and won't get swayed or angered by what they say. Instead, I won't listen to it and I'll do what makes me feel happy.

Some people these days say things just to get me on their side. Once I'm on their side, they don't care about me anymore. (It might sound negative but it's true.) It's up to me to discern whether or not to follow them; just because they pressure me doesn't mean they're correct. I have a plan for my life and won't get off track because of pressure.

Daring to be Different

When I was younger I wanted nothing more than to be like everyone else. I didn't want to stand out but wanted to fit in. I remember crying in first grade when I asked my mom if I had to have the name 'Jade' in heaven and she said yes. I wanted my name to be common and printed on a pencil. In high school I remember hearing "Dare to stand alone". The leaders where I lived often spoke about daring to be a diamond in the rough and being one who stood out...they had a point. The one who stands out makes more of an impact than the one in a crowd of alike people.

This picture says it all.

I have the opportunity to possibly influence someone's life for the better if I'll just have the resolve to stand up for my beliefs. So many people need a friend. I say to myself, "Why not be that friend?"