Everybody Talks

If there is one thing I've learned thus far in my life I would say its this:

   Everybody talks.

   Ok so that was taken from the Neon Trees song with that exact title but seriously, that has been my motto for a while. It can help with so many different scenarios so its very convenient. But just think about that for a moment and let it sink in.

   Everybody talks. One line from that song is "Never thought I'd live to see the day when everybodies words got in the way." That's my favorite line because its so true. I think as people, we care far too much about what other people have to say and we don't care enough about what God has to say. Or what we have to say for that matter. So many people downgrade themselves and think so much lesser of themselves than they ought to, because they are so caught up in pleasing other people. Let me tell you a secret: you can't please them all. I've found that out the hard way. I've been trying to appease all of my peers and all the adults in my life and be this and be that and I'm done with it. Because the only opinion that actually matters is my own. My pastor used this quote from Augustine in his sermon the other day that really stuck with me. "Love God and do as you please." As long as you're obeying God and doing His will, who cares what other people think? I recently had a discussion with a good friend of mine in where I complained that no matter what I did, someone always had something to say about it. Once I pleased one person, someone else whined about it. So I move on to trying to please them and then the cycle just kept on going over and over again until I finally came to the realization that I didn't need to please them! What?! You mean you don't need to stress yourself out over the comments of other people?! Yes!

   I saw this picture on tumblr one day and it really stuck with me so I saved it on my IPod. I think its something I should keep in mind. I matter too. Yes, selflessness is a good thing, but it can become a bad thing when it begins to harm us. When you stop being yourself because too many people have complained about something, that's not good. Go be who you want to be. For my birthday next week I want to go get my nose pierced. Now, I've wanted piercings (tons of them!) since as long as I can remember. I've always loved punk rock style and have always wanted to be like that. (Too bad I'm too broke to afford it..) but I know someone who has their nose pierced and I didn't want people to think I was copying her seeing as we already have enough similarities as it is. But then I realized that I had the power to say 'Screw it' and do what I want and forget what other people think. They can think I'm being a copy, they can think I'm a freak, they can think whatever the heck they want, but its not going to change me. I'm adopting another motto for myself: 'Be Faith, not fake.' That means dressing how I want no matter how awful I look in the clothes, getting my hair cut how I want, acting how I want, and being myself. I wasn't meant to fit in to a mold but lately I've been letting myself be shoved into one. Because I grew up with most of my friends, they would be shocked to realize that in my head I'm actually some rock star wanna be with piercings and a wicked crazy sense of style. When I go shopping with my friends I'm always terrified to say "Oh I love that shirt!" or "That looks cool!" Because I don't want them judge me or think less of me if they disagree. But I don't want to do that anymore, I want to be who I want to be.

   Everybody talks.

   Another issue that this motto touches is gossip. Everybody does it. Everybody believes everything they hear and everybody always has something to say about everybody and you know what I have to say to that? "Eh. Everybody talks." I have heard so much garbage about so many of my friends and if I had the nerve to believe everything that everyone says, I would be a mess. There's one friend of mine in particular that everyone always seems to have an opinion about and I hear countless "Well Faith, did you hear about the time when they did ____" (Fill in the blank with whatever rumor you can think of. I've heard them all.) And I just want to punch someone in the face whenever they say something like that. Because really?! DO I LOOK LIKE I CARE?! NO! If I judged everyone by the stories people told me, boy would you guys be in trouble. Plus no one seems to remember the good things people do, only the bad. I've been learning to try and get to know people without letting the opinions of others interfere and guess what? I've made so many new friends! Turns out when you give people a fair shot and are open to learn about them, they are, in turn, willing to share more and be open and real. Wow. So whenever someone tries to tell me a story to get me to change my opinion on someone I just say "Well, everybody talks."

   Sorry that was more like a rant but it was something I felt like I needed to say. Its a great thing to keep in mind and also, just remember to not believe everything everyone tells you. Be yourself, don't be fake, and go live your life.