Like me?

I grew up thinking everyone should like me.  I was raised with a positive attitude, taught to see the good side of things and never got too sad when I was picked last for the team in gym class. 

In middle school I tried out for the basketball team – I was awful, I got cut.  I moved on to cheerleading – I was decent and decided that I looked better in a cheerleading skirt than basketball shorts.  Throughout my teens and twenties I joined clubs, helped out, became president of clubs and got awards.  Ask me about college and I’ll give you a laundry list of all of the organizations I joined.  I don’t have your traditional “Drunk night at bar stories” I have more of the “taking care of sorority sisters, volunteering for charity stories”.  Sure I applied to be on the Homecoming court, I didn’t get picked – no biggy for me, I still volunteered on the Homecoming committee and participated in the parade.

Once I entered my 30’s I redirected my energy to taking care of my son, my family, and my friends.  I joined mom’s groups and boards. I was elected to more things and people liked me.  I was helping others, people liked me helping them – life was good.

Sure, I had my HUGE share of disappointments (Read previous blog posts) but I really don’t dwell on them.  I just keep my head up, move forward and carry on. 

Well, apparently there are some people in this world who don’t like me (SHOCKER I know!)  You may laugh at this, but it is truly hard for me to grasp.  I am still friends with 99.9% of the guys I have dated, my ex-husband is on speed dial and I still volunteer for most of the agencies I used to work for.  I really don’t have that many people who don’t like me, or so I thought…

Well, yesterday I found out that I wasn’t liked by someone.  Some person felt compelled to relay their dislike of me publicly, rudely and worse, anonymously.

What is the problem you ask?  Why am I dedicating a post to this topic?  So what if someone doesn’t like you or what you have to say? 

Well the problem is – I’ve never not been liked. 

Ok, that sounds terrible I know.  Conceited, maybe?  However it is true.  Maybe this is a lesson I was supposed to learn at age 11 when I didn’t make the basketball team, or at age 21 when I wasn’t chosen for homecoming court? However, learning this lesson at age 33 stings really bad.   There are people out there who don’t like me.

So, you say, what am I going to do about it? 

Hmm… I couldn’t sleep all night asking myself this very question.  Part of me wanted to quit everything I do, resign from all of my boards and just curl up and become a hermit.  The other part of me wanted to just blast it out to everyone I know as a big *** to whomever cares so much about me that they have to intentionally hurt me.  But in reality I’ve chosen to pretty much do nothing.  (I’m blogging of course because that makes me happy)  I’m not going to change who I am.  I am not going to be ashamed of anything I do (in real life or on facebook).  I’m not going to apologize for being successful, having friends and being happy.  I am not going to be scared that someone is jealous of me and I am not going to be sad that someone doesn’t like me.

I’m going to count my blessings.  I am going to be thankful for my true friends who have supported me, laughed with me and continue to like me.  At the end of the day, I don’t care if not everyone likes me.  I care more about the people I chose to like.