“So long as you are still worried about what others think of you, you are owned by them. Only when you require no approval from outside yourself can you own yourself.” – Neale Donald Walsch.
How many of us realize the truth in the words of this great writer? Probably quite a few people do. Because if we all did, then we wouldn’t find people terribly inconveniencing themselves, bearing serious hardship and suffering trying to gain the approval of other people.
Every day in life, many of us voluntarily become slaves to the thoughts and opinions of others. We scheme, and hustle to make others believe we are other than we really are. There are many of us who practically starve ourselves, mince our resources, deprive our family of basic needs just for the sake of trying to keep up appearances in our offices, schools, churches, neighbourhoods and so on.
Why strain yourself to do things you cannot afford, simply because others do them? Why let other people’s eyes and opinions make you unhappy, and discontented with what you have? Back then when I was in the university, I used to find students who spend their tuition on the latest phone, trendy clothes, and other material stuff, other than their educational needs in other to be accepted and regarded as classy or “Big guys and Babes”. Today I find people in debts that are way above their salaries, because they borrowed to buy luxuries (packaging as we Nigerians call it).
Folks, living your greatest life implies that, you don’t do things just because others do them. Don’t live in falsehood just to make others think you are important or rich, when you know it’s a lie. A lie is a lie. “It doesn’t matter whether you wear lies, tell lies, or act lies”, they are all the same.“Do not deceive yourself into thinking that good clothes, or a palatial home, can make a man or a woman. All the wealth in the world could not raise manhood one degree in the scale of excellence. It is spending upward, living upward, living in honesty, in simplicity; living the real life, the life that is worthwhile, that will produce the finest character and give the greatest satisfaction.”
Live your greatest life!
Vincent Egoro 
This is so true. Very powerful writing. 😀
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“Why strain yourself to do things you cannot afford, simply because others do them? Why let other people’s eyes and opinions make you unhappy, and discontented with what you have? ”
Vincent, as these words settled, a sense of something really important itched a little. Out of reach. Yet something connected with another. Thank you.
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Reblogged this on Constructing Myself.
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Thank you for sharing. God bless you!
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