Conduct Yourself in the Manner for Which You Want to be Recognized

People will recognize you for what you SHOW them.  You see people on day time talk shows screaming “you don’t know me!” as they come on stage.  Yet there they are putting their dirty laundry out there and being offended, righteous and defiant when the audience shrieks upon learn this talk show guest has impregnated their mom.  This parallel happens in life almost every day (albeit not to that extreme).  How is it people are offended when other people have made a decision about who they think you are based on your life choices. 

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Look, I get it.  People don’t know you.  No one knows your thoughts, or your heart.  But it’s a busy world out there and we have sometimes a brief moment to assess your character.  The reality is we are judged all day, every day.  Not because people are malicious and hateful, but because we can’t crawl into your head.  Even if we interact with you often, the reality is we only think we know you because we can string together examples of consistencies in your personality or behaviors that point to a certain characteristic. 

Here’s the thing.  Your actions, your words, your demeanor, your choices - they all tell your story.  Not all these things may come from your mouth, but it simply does not matter what you say. You can say you are an honest person, but it carries no weight unless someone else testifies to that characteristic or someone witnesses it.  The world will not see you as honest just because you claim to be.  It is other people who will share what they know about you.  It is how the portrait of you begins to get painted.  It’s also other people who may one day write your eulogy.  Whatever our perception of you is, well, that’s how you’ll go down in history.  So make sure your intentions are clear.  Have integrity in your actions, behaviors, choices.  Make sure they speak to who you are.

I’m not saying we have to all be each other’s cup of tea.  If you are conducting yourself in the manner for which you want to be recognized, then hey.  It’s quite all right if someone doesn’t care for you shouldn't loose any sleep over it.  All I’m saying is don’t get mad at the world for having an opinion on who you are because of your choices and actions.  If you don’t like how other people see you or label you, fix it with your behaviors, because it cannot be fixed with your words.