I've always been one of those people that hates the idea of doing something because everyone else is doing it, which often leads to me being the oddball. The first time I realized this was in middle school when the Harry Potter series took off. I read the first chapter of the first book--it wasn't bad, it wasn't great, but people were going on and on and on about Harry Potter. It drove me crazy! It did not make me want to continue reading, it just made me think they were all just following each other. I see it all the time, people jump on a bandwagon and follow the latest trends; some of these trends may be great things, but often I see people doing things to just fit in.
Facebook is the front row ticket to this buffoonery--posting pictures of every where you go, everything you eat, all your gifts, your new house, your personal business, your personal relationships, etc. People dress this way and that, say this and that, then its "everyone's doing it" or "everyone says it" or what's worse (especially on the topic of leggings being pants) "everyone's wearing it." So what? What is this fascination with everyone else?
I've been told often that I'm weird because I don't have this trait and because I don't understand. Well, I don't. I told someone once, "the reason happy people are happy, the reason rich people are rich, is because instead of worrying about what other people are doing, they're doing what they need to do for them." I read blog posts, Facebook statuses, tweets, and everything else about people seeing that so and so is doing this and that and they're struggling with jealousy. Impatience is the short answer, but if you bury yourself in your own goals (whatever they may be) you don't have time to think about what everyone else does and patience is irrelevant.
You know how I know? I'm a grad student. The summer before my senior year I took an internship making X dollars a year. If I'd taken it, I would have made X+ dollars a year after I graduated, but I chose to go to grad school (why is a topic for another post). Upon entering grad school I was lucky enough to get a fellowship, so then I was making X/2 dollars a year. That expired, and now I'm making X/4 dollars a year. Yeah, I know exactly how my friends are buying houses and cars and other high end items. But I barely have time to write this post, let alone sulk about what someone else has, while I'm doing my research or studying for an exam.
I've seen a ton of topics posted about this issue, some full of simple encouragement, some full of Bible quotes. Well, sure, be encouraged, pray, read the Bible. That's all well and good. But after you do all that, go do some planning for yourself. Get out and do something for you. Figure out what path you're on and convince yourself that what you're doing is a worthy cause. Then live your life. I guarantee you other people will become less important.
