I don’t talk about this as much as I should publicly. I was picked on a lot when I was a kid. And it’s kinda become a theme in my life. So much so, that now, when it happens, I almost don’t even notice it sometimes, as it can happen in passing.
The world is an unkind place, and the thing that helped me to rise above the unkindness of the world was the realization that I’m capable of being kinder to myself than others have been to me.
This realization gave me the peace to pave my own way.
I have an old friend named, Max. His dad is Andrew “Dice” Clay. True Story. Years ago, when Max and I hung out in LA, I once asked Max if his Dad had any advice sayings that he always tried to impart to Max. And Max said without hesitation, “Keep your blinders on.” I said, “What?” And Max said, “Yeah, it means don’t pay attention to other people. Stay in your own lane. It references the blinders horses wear in races to not look at the other horses.”
For me, being kinder to myself than other people were/are to me, is an act of keeping my blinders on. It reminds me that I feel I deserve great things.
