Standards

Let's talk about standards, baby. (Not as exciting as sex, I know, but this ain't that kind of blog - or is it? Time will tell.)

My personal outlook on life is that there is always room for improvement. To assume otherwise would suggest that, in this mortal life, I have somehow achieved perfection - and if there is anything you are taking from this blog, I hope it is the understanding that humans are anything but perfect. My standard - for me, for you, for everyone - is constant improvement.

That being said, I would not suggest that holding yourself to this standard is easy, because believe me - it takes WORK, and I often fall short of the mark. Hence the "improvement" standard. But I would also argue that perhaps not everything needs to be bettered. I personally strive to be curious, open-minded, and honest. I attempt to be a good daughter, a good friend, a good employee, and a good citizen of the world. I try to listen well, give freely of my time, and contribute to a cause that is bigger than me.

But I am not curious about open-heart surgery, nor do I have any interest in practicing medicine, because I know I would be TERRIBLE at it. I am surely not going to invent any great new technology - I can barely keep up with the times as is and could not, with any honesty, tell you what an Apple watch is, or why people would use a FitBit. And if you want to know what's on TV, I am the last person you're going to want to ask because frankly, I don't really care.

Those are other people's lines of interest. And here's the beauty of this world - it is populated by 7.3 billion people and counting. It is so very okay if person A's interests don't overlap with person B's, because chances are, person C has commonalties with both A and B.

To thine own self be true. Know yourself - your limits, and where they can be improved. Your strengths, and how they can benefit others. Your interests, your disinterests. When you know yourself, you will contribute more to your relationships, to your personal life, and to the world.

There are standards. And then there are impossibilities. Don't ask the impossible of yourself.

(Unless you're a murderer/sadist/rapist/bigot/bad person. Don't be that guy!)