There are people out there who will look for every reason to be offended, including your newfound success or when you share some insight. There are people out there who wallow in ultra-first-world “problems.” Wish them a silent blessing, do your work to the best of your ability, carry on, and move forward.
As my friend and mentor, Ken, reminds me often, “The problem with wrestling a pig in shit is that…eventually… you realize the pig enjoys it.”
No matter how much personal development work you do, you will still encounter negative people. It’s essential to balance helping them see their errors and avoiding being pulled into their negative cycle.
Only you can be the judge, but I caution you to be careful with whom you place your energy.
As I write this, I’m reminded of a joke my great mentor Wayne Dyer shared during one of his courses.
A woman was at the local salon having her hair done before an upcoming trip to Rome with her husband. She mentioned the trip to the stylist, who responded: “Rome? Why would anyone want to go there? It’s crowded and dirty. You’re crazy to go to Rome. So, how are you getting there?”
“We’re taking American Airlines,” was the reply. “We got a great price!”
“American?” exclaimed the stylist. “That’s a terrible airline. Their planes are old, their flight attendants are ugly, and they’re always late. So, where are you staying in Rome?”
“We’ll be at this exclusive little place over on the Tiber River called Hilltop Hideaway.”
“Don’t go any further. I know that joint. Everybody thinks it’s gonna be something special and exclusive, but it’s really a dump, the worst hotel in the city! The rooms are small, the service is crap, and they’re way overpriced. Anyway, whatcha’ doing when you get there?”
“We’re going to go to see the Vatican and hopefully we’ll see the Pope.”
“That’s rich,” laughed the stylist. “You and a million other people are trying to see him. He’ll look the size of an ant. Boy, good luck on this lousy trip of yours. You’re going to need it.”
A month later, the woman returned for another hair cut and the stylist asked her about her trip to Rome. “It was wonderful,” explained the woman. “Not only were we on time in one of American’s brand new planes, but it was overbooked and they bumped us up to first class. The food and wine were wonderful, and I had a handsome 28-year-old attendant who waited on me hand and foot. And the hotel was great! They’d just finished a $5 million remodelling job and now it’s a jewel, the finest hotel in the city. They, too, were overbooked, so they apologized and gave us the presidential suite at no extra charge!”
“Well,” muttered the stylist, “That’s all well and good, but I know you didn’t get to see the Pope.”
“Actually, we were quite lucky, because as we toured the Vatican, a Swiss Guard tapped me on the shoulder, and explained that the Pope likes to meet some of the visitors, and if I’d be so kind as to step into his private room and wait, the Pope would personally greet me. Sure enough, five minutes later, the Pope walked through the door and shook my hand, I knelt down, and he spoke a few words to me.”
“Oh, really! What did he say?”
“He said: ‘Where did you get the crappy hairdo?’
See you on the journey…
