Great Article!

I read this article the other day and really loved the way he said it. :)



The Logic Behind Joining The Mormon Church

Inside

I am going to go on a bit of a rant here for half a second, maybe longer.

I often read these posts that my friends put on Facebook that say something like "30 Things to stop doing to yourself". Lots of these are entertaining, thoughtful, insightful, great advice, but there is ALWAYS one that just drives. me. nuts. Usually it is #1 on the list.

This particular #1 states: " Stop spending time with the wrong people. -- Life is too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you. If someone wants you in their life, they'll make room for you. You shouldn't have to fight for a spot. Never, ever insist yourself to someone who continuously overlooks your worth. And remember, it's not the people that stand by your side when you're at your best, but the ones who stand beside you when you're at your worst that are your true friends."

Let's break this down for a little bit.

1) Stop spending time with the wrong people. - I think this is one of the worst snippets of advice ever! If we really and truly think about it, in that statement is some kind of determination that MY judgement is the be-all-and-end-all. I should decide who the "wrong" people are. I have met a lot of people that were really not great for me, but their influence helped me be better. A lot better. Yes, instead, let's be judgmental and elitist in who we "let" into our inner circle. No. Life is always filled with people we don't agree with, people who behave or believe differently, and people that challenge us. Avoiding those people does not allow anyone to get to the point in their growth or progress that they need to be.

2) Life is too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you. - While I agree that we choose our company, I don't agree that anyone has the power to "suck the happiness" out of me unless I let them. I get to choose my thoughts, my attitudes and my behaviors, please don't blame other people for that. There, again, will be difficult people to deal with, oftentimes at school or at work. I cannot very well stop going to work, stop going to school, or heaven-forbid stop being a part of a family just because someone is bothersome to me. You choose your life. You also choose your happiness.

3) If someone wants you in their life, they'll make room for you. You shouldn't have to fight for a spot. - This one is the biggest conundrums of all. If I am sitting, waiting for someone to chase after me and pursue me and everyone else is taking that SAME advice, then nobody will end up being with anyone. Then everyone thinks that nobody wants to be around them. I agree, I shouldn't be some desperate person that has not realized the subtle or not-so-subtle hints about someone's interest, but if I want to be friends with someone, I am responsible for my efforts. If nobody tries, nobody has friends. I let people in that I want in and I seek out people that I want in as well. Sitting at home feeling sorry for myself has never done me any good. What happened to the old saying, "to have a friend, be a friend"? Or something very close to that. Let's perpetuate the victim attitude by telling people they have no control over their life or what happens to them.

Okay. Rant over. But seriously?!