Look for the Happy

How do you feel when someone, who says they care about you, belittles your efforts or puts you down? Or even worse, how does it make you feel when these same people ask how you are, but obviously couldn’t care less about your answer?

If you are like most people, things like this hurt your feelings. Did you know that if it happens enough, it could also damage your self-esteem? This is true. It is hard to maintain a high opinion of yourself when those who are closest to you seem to be trying to pull it down. Their opinions wear you down, until it becomes harder and harder to fight their words. Slowly, the world inside your mind begins to look like the descriptions coming at you from the outside.

There is a good chance that the reason they do so in the first place is because of their own poor self-opinion, not because there is anything wrong with you. But, when you are experiencing their judgments and criticisms, it can be a challenge to keep this in mind.

Obviously, if you have a choice, you want to stay away from these kinds of people – the ones who are always evaluating how you look, how well you do things, how moral you are, how witty you seem, and subtly (or not so subtly) letting you know that you never quite measure up.

The best people to associate with are those who do two important things at the same time. They act as a mirror that reflects your good points while accepting you just as you are. They also expect excellence from you and continually encourage you to use your full potential. In other words, they see the good in you that sometimes you don’t even see, and they tell you about it, often.

These are the people who bring out greatness in others. These also are the people you want to make a regular part of your life. Who is that person in your life? If you haven’t found them yet, a sure clue is that it makes you happy to be around them. So, look for the happy and more than likely, you will find greatness as well – in them, and in yourself.