Momma Always Said

There are many things that "Momma Always Said." I am sure that we all can agree on that. Things that we heard as we were growing up repeated to us over and over. Things that we said that we would never say to our own children when we had children. Yet, as we grew older, some of them just slipped out of our mouths. Is it in the DNA? Just a part of the gene pool? Maybe so. Or maybe, it is just one way to teach life lessons that many still need to learn. Just look around you.

Today I really just want to write about one phrase in particular. If I came home to ask if I could go someone or do something with a group of friends and my Mom said, "No," my first response would always be that all of the other kids are going. Or perhaps, all of the other kids are doing it. You know exactly what her response to me was: "Well, if Suzie jumped off the bridge would you follow her and jump?"

There is no way that as a kid, I would win that argument. Somehow, I had to find a different approach to try to talk my way into what I really wanted to do. Sometimes other ways would work, and sometimes not. She had her own reasons. The lesson learned from this cliche that all parents use is that you should try to be the leader. Instead of following the crowd, let the crowd follow you. 

Sometimes we would get in deep conversations about how following a crowd is just a way of not following my own heart and having my own dreams. This advice did take me in a few different directions than some of my friends. Not that their ways were wrong, just that it was not my chosen way. What I took away from our talks was a valuable life skill. The kind of life skills that all parents should be teaching their children. It is not a class that you can sign up for in school, although many outstanding teachers use this lesson to help their students get a better outlook on life.

Albert Einstein said it best in his quote, "The one who follows the crowd will usually go no further than the crowd. The one who walks alone is likely to find himself in places no one has ever been before."  I believe that not only as kids, but even adults feel they have safety in numbers. This may be somewhat true in some cases. Think about the multi-millionaires and entrepreneurs that took their own road.

I believe that making a difference is what life is all about. Usually people of all ages can and will make a difference by continually trying to improve. They do this through collaboration with others. It does not mean you have to always walk alone. Sharing ideas and ways to better the world, as well as ourselves, is a positive way to make a difference. All of our time and energy should not be on what was or what is, instead we should be focusing on what can be.

Stand up and be the leader for yourself and the good of others. This is using your influence in a positive way. Showing others what you are committed to is a way to share responsibility without acting like The Pied Piper. If you are truly operating from your heart, soul and brain, then you are putting it all together for the betterment of others, as well as yourself. It is a win-win solution. Momma was right on this one!