i used to care a lot about what others think of me. and i still do some…but i’m really learning to let it go. i used to care so much about what others would think about what i would say, what i would do…that i would end up just not really saying anything at all. i’m a pretty shy person…and not too outgoing (although being married to a very outgoing person is slowly changing that ;) ) but i would be so shy and care so much about what others thought about me, that it almost gave the impression to others that i was stuck up. yup, plain ole stuck up. which truly was not the case, i was just really introverted and shy……and a bit self absorbed.

that’s what i have learned from all this more than anything. being afraid of what others think is a form of fear- and i think it is also a bit of pride. do i really want others to see my weaknesses? do i really want others to see me fail? me me me. what about others? isn’t all that truly matters is what we do in Christ’s eyes? how HE sees us, not always how others see us.

each day i strive to stray away from the “perfectionist” side of me. i have learned to just let things go…. if only two people read this, that’s fine. if no one read this, that’s fine too. if i introduce myself to someone and stumble on all my words, at least i tried. if i want to cheer someone up and bless them but am afraid of what they might think, i am going to do it anyway. this life is simply too short to run our lives around what other people think. it’s too short not to take any chances, to not take any risks.

so here’s to not caring too much about what others think of us, to taking some risks, and glorifying Him in all we do.

love,
arielle