I should really write in this thing more often.
I've noticed that as I get older, the harder it is to find people that I am compatible with. Not everyone shares the same values you do or sees things the way you see things. It sucks more when people -- especially friends -- start getting settled into their ways and block out other feedback from the world.
Every year that goes by, I start to accept myself more and more. But as we start accepting ourselves for who we are and care less about what other people think, our perceptions can shift balance from trying to please everyone to standing rigid to anything that comes our way. My goal is to keep both those views balanced throughout my life... taking into consideration what others' thoughts or feelings may be to keep a harmonious and thought-provoking environment, but also being assertive and standing up for what I believe in without disrespecting others.
I have a friend who often chooses to close herself off to things because of assumptions she makes of what they may be like before she even tries it. Staying that way paves a pattern of thinking that she may retain for the rest of her life and it can bore her a hole of ignorance where she can hide away while everything around her changes. I hope one day she can open up her mind and at least try those new things before declining.
