Carry on With Your Happy Self

 On my letterboard this month: "When you focus on the good, the good gets better!" That is also my message to those who focus way too much energy on naysayers, trolls, negative Nelsons and Nellies. I notice that there are a fair amount of videos out there that are made specifically to address the "haters." Why is that? Have they not read the thousands of positive and kind comments that surround that very small number of rude ones? On a video just yesterday, I noticed there were several positive comments and just one negative one way at the bottom. Can you guess which comment got the attention of the creator? Yep. She chose to respond only to the one who said something rude. I love her content and I tell her so, as do many others! Does she hear us? Who knows? The question is, does it matter if all she's seeing are the negative things?

For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you. 

1 Thessalonians 1:4

Why do we do that? Why do we turn our necks at the person honking the horn the loudest? Why do we get our egos in a knot over some sniveling snot who is having a temper tantrum over their own insecurity? Why do we give someone having a bad day our utmost attention? Why do we address negativity at all? In the world using grace, we would say, "kill them with kindness," or "ignore it," but on social media, it becomes more personal, and that makes no sense. We don't even know them! We don't see them! They don't care, so neither should we. In a sentence---delete, block, and carry on with your happy self. I think we "get our backs up" and respond out of anger, but all it does is breed more nastiness, and what is it all for? The funniest thing you can do to me on the road is honk at me at a light that has literally just turned green. Do not honk at me, ever. I will wave and smile. That is all. I am assuming we are long lost classmates and you are saying hello.  (horn works, try the lights :)

Our attention can be drawn away from the positive forces in our lives much too easily if we allow it, and though we may not want to admit it, it's our shortcoming too. People play on our assumed insecurities, because of their own! That's the role of a troll, if you will. We are much too fragile, sometimes, and much too invested in what people "out there" think of us. The whole cinematic draw of "likes, clicks, subscribers, etc..." has become the old popularity contests, except people have thousands of strangers following them who they wouldn't even like if they met them in person. It's much like politics. Oh, I'm pressing nerves today, and I know it. But seriously. Can you imagine yourself liking over 38,000 people? I cannot. This world is messy. God said we had to love one another, but we know we don't like each other sometimes! 

It's great to create content and build a channel and do all of that. There are people out there making bank doing that! But my advice would be to engage with those who are actually building up the channel instead of trying to break it and the creator down. Don't get so caught up in what people think that it goes straight to your head or your heart. I've watched videos of people sobbing and breaking down over what some stranger said to them, and that is just alarming to me. What I would tell my own daughters is don't get into anything that would compromise your own mental health and joy, and if it did, leave it immediately. Nothing and no one is worth that. No amount of money will ever be worth compromising yourself. 

Praise be to the Lord, for he has heard my cry for mercy. The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him. 

Psalm 28:6-7 

We have to be strong and ready to face a world that is not that friendly most of the time. We have to know who we are, and stand for the things that matter to us. We have to thank the people who support us, take the time to recognize the efforts that are made to support what we do, and let the rest roll like water off a duck's back. I am not a content creator, but I am a blogger, and I recently co-authored a book. It made me think about what could be said about the things I shared in my book, because as a writer, I open my heart. My work is my art, just as other creators deem their work. I run the risk of getting criticized by people who know nothing about me. Negativity does sting, as does silence from those from whom you expect the most support when you've accomplished your goal. We are human-I get it! But we know what we do and who we are, why we do what we do, and if it reaches who it needs to reach, then we've done what we've set out to do. Our egos tell us to take everything personally, but when we learn that not everything is about us, it makes life so much easier and us so much happier! When we allow God to use what we do to help others, there is joy in what we do, no matter what it is. 

The person who finds their identity in Christ has freedom and peace. He created you and is bound in love to you forever. 

Charles Stanley, I lift Up My Soul 

God has given each of us our individual talents and purposes. Some of us are in a position to create, and some are in a position to receive those creations, whether in our hands or with our eyes. Let's make sure our hearts are pure and our words are full of grace, and if they are not, then we need to remain silent. We can all help each other to get where we are going by laying off the horn and shining a light on the good in every situation and person. Not everyone is out to get us, and not everything needs our commentary. 

Be blessed!