What if I told you not all people are going to want what you have?

What if I told you not all people are going to like you?

What if I told you success is possible anyway?  Would you get up every day and do what you do?  I hope the answer is yes.

Just because you believe in something – especially if it’s a product or service you’re representing – doesn’t mean others will.  That’s OK.  For every person who doesn’t need what you have, there are several more who do.  If you’re like me, you’ll sometimes be baffled as to why someone wouldn’t shop with YOU, when they need to shop anyway, and you feel like your product is superior.  I don’t have the answer to that – except I can say there a few variables that I believe make you more likely to gain or lose respect among your peers (especially on social media), causing them to draw to or away from you.

• Positive Attitude:  Are you on social media spewing your dirty laundry?  Are you constantly complaining about your life or are you a positive force in another person’s day?  Do you make negative comments on others’ posts on a regular basis?  Always think about how you portray yourself to others.  There’s a time and place to complain and it’s not typically on social media for the world to see.
• Politics:  I don’t have to tell you what a crazy election we just survived.  But seriously, some of my friends on social media made me NUTS.  I took offense to the continual barrage of political posts.  At times, I felt attacked.  Other times I felt talked down to.  I lost so much respect for many of my friends – and they still don’t have a clue.  Simply put, it was a TURN OFF.  If you want to attract people to your brand, you need to accept the fact that politics aren’t the best way to pull them in.
• Chain-mail:  I cringe at the exorbitant amount of chain mails I receive.  When someone tells me that if I don’t re-post their post, I’m not truly their friend, I just scratch my head and take my chances.   Then there are those who give me a certain time to forward their emails before I have bad luck or good luck.  I don’t mean to offend anyone, but if you’re wanting to gain respect from others, don’t send them chain-mail.  It’s a turn off.
• Credibility:  Are you jumping from business to business?  Are you always looking for the “next best” opportunity?  The “get rich quick” scheme?  If so, people can smell you a mile away.  Do you bash your competitors?  If so, that’s a huge turn-off for people.  Even if you don’t realize it, people are watching you.  If you’re joining multiple businesses, and/or hopping from one to another, you are going to lose credibility.  NEWSFLASH:  There will ALWAYS be a better looking opportunity, and there will ALWAYS be someone moving up another career plan quicker than you.  They key to success is sticking around long enough to maximize the career plan you’re in.  If you truly feel your company is your home, then water the grass in your yard and clean up the dog crap.  LOYALTY speaks volumes to not only your peers but your potential customers.

You need to put your best foot forward every single day to gain the respect of your peers.  If that’s not enough, perhaps they already have a business relationship with someone else or they just don’t need what you have to offer.  Don’t take it personal.  Go find those who need your product or services.

What about those people who “just don’t like you”?  UGH you say … I know, right?!   You may be like me, wondering why on earth someone wouldn’t like you.

The truth is, it’s not about you.  It’s about them.  I’ve been in situations where I’ve tried and tried to win the approval of others, only to realize I missed out on the sweetest relationships with people who LOVED me for who I was.  Did you catch that?  For who I was.  I spent my precious time worrying about the WRONG people – all the while passing by the RIGHT people.

Maybe it’s the car you drive, the color of your hair, the church you go to, your kids, your husband, or something stupid you said three years ago.  Perhaps you’ll never know – or perhaps you were never meant to know anyway?

Rejection is hard.  It’s really hard … but it doesn’t have to consume you.  When you wake up and appreciate those who respect, admire, accept and love you for YOU … you can stop yearning for those who don’t.  Aah…doesn’t that sound divine?

God made YOU perfect in his eyes.  Chances are you’re perfect in a lot of people’s eyes.  There are so many variables that come into play when you get that icy feeling from someone that its nearly impossible to realize it’s not about you at all.

Surround yourself with those who uplift you.  Those who laugh with you.  Those who encourage you.  Those who reach out to support you.  Those who are kind to you.

For those who don’t?  Well, those “aren’t your people”.  If you have to “do business” with them, be courteous, be kind, be understanding, be loving – and be glad you don’t have to “do life” with them.  Don’t let them affect you.  BLESS AND RELEASE their negative influence on you.

Rejection will come in all shapes and sizes.  Sometimes it will come in pretty little packages.  While discernment, understanding and acceptance are all key, the greatest gift you can give yourself is going back to the fundamental realization that YOU ARE LOVED.  You are cherished.  You are worthy.  You are amazing.  You are perfectly made by the one and only person you should ever desire acceptance from.

Chin up, buttercup.

“Be brave, be kind, be bold, be fierce, be YOU”

-Jules-