This works on so many platforms!!! Its time to surround myself with real friends!!! Mark -----------—------------ GOODBYE FAKE FRIENDS Dear fake friends from my past: When I walked away from a successful career three years ago, you thought I was crazy. Even crazier when I said I wanted to cultivate my passion, to pursue my dream—writing. It’s all right, there’s no need to deny it now. Save your apologies; I’m not looking for one Scores of you, my so-called friends, talked behind my back. The grapevine is not self-contained, so, yes, the terrible things you said got back to me. You said I was dumb, out of touch, too idealistic. You gossiped, told people I’d lost my mind. I was an idiot, you said. Lost, I’d be broke and alone in no time. Truth be told, it was upsetting—gut-wrenching and heartrending—to hear the vitriol that was spewed. I thought you were different. I thought we were different. I thought we were friends. You, my lip-service friends, told me it was impossible. If people could make a living from their passions, you said, then everyone would be doing it. I was making a mistake, a horrible decision. I’d regret giving up the money and the status and the ostensible success. My plan would never work out. It’s evident now that you were merely projecting your own fears, hoping I would fail so your flawed idea of success would remain unblemished. Well guess what: I don’t regret it, my change in lifestyle. Of course I don’t need to point out that everything did in fact work out. It all worked out. And then some. My life is better now than it ever was in that corner office. Substantially better. Be it money, passion, health, growth, contribution, my life has improved exponentially. Even my friends have changed for the better. You see, my real friends, although they may’ve not fully understood my decision at the time, they supported me through the transition. Real support. They encouraged me, cheered me on, offered help when I needed it. In truth, it took this type of radical change to understand who my real friends were—and who was just hanging on because I had an impressive job title or the shiny things they wanted. Without the facade of a big paycheck or an oversized house, I made new friends, people whose interests and values and beliefs align with mine. Wonderful people who care about me for me, not what’s printed on my business card. So I guess this is goodbye, fake friends of old. I’m walking away, for good, and you likely won’t be able to catch up. But first, I’d like to thank you for teaching me one of life’s most important lessons… You can’t change the people around you, but you can change the people around you.
Posted on: Thu, 08 Jan 2015 06:02:28 +0000
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