The Journey with

Samantha Brazie

Paper readers, have you ever felt left out? Of course you have, I’m sure everyone has. As firmly grounded as I am in myself and my relationships, I have as well. I’ve felt it in my marriage, with my kids, in my friendships. It happens. FOMO (fear of missing out) is an anagram for a reason!

As a matter of fact, I’ve had such severe FOMO in the past that I’ve stressed myself out not to miss things and made my life unnecessarily chaotic because of it. I’ve had my feelings hurt and wondered if people just don’t like me when I saw a major birthday party on Facebook for someone I thought was a good friend that I wasn’t invited to. Perhaps it slipped their mind, perhaps we weren’t as good of friends as I thought … but either way, what was done was done and there was nothing I could do about it then. And definitely, nothing I can do about it now.

Then there’s being someone you aren’t to make other people happy … so you get included and have more ‘friends’. You can try and try, and try, but you’re never going to make everyone happy. Just because you want to be included and involved, and are genuinely nice to people, does not mean they will accept you and/or include you. It’s unfortunate but sometimes it just is what it is. Maybe they’ll come around, maybe they won’t. I recently told a good friend of mine that occasionally, I will allow myself to believe that I don’t have any friends. Which is RIDICULOUS. I’m here to tell you during a period of sound mind that I have real friends (not just social media connections) that I’m still in contact with from high school, when I was pregnant with my first born in Florida, from my last job in two states and on and on.

Our negative thoughts can get the best of us! You have to be comfortable in your own skin and confident that the right people will be there, at the right time, which is no easy frame of mind for people that have struggled with insecurities now or in the past. But the past is just that, in the past. Holding on to things is fine if feelings aren’t attached. I hold onto things to remind me not to repeat the same behavior but I don’t feel badly towards one person or group of people as I move on, mainly since I’m not a fan of torturing myself.

So, as you continue on in your Journey – know you are loved, you are liked, and you are missed. Know that even if things aren’t going your way and even if you’re going through some really tough times – everything in our life helps us grow. Whether it’s something superficial we really shouldn’t be getting upset about, or something serious like a damaged friendship – this too shall pass. You will grow, you will be better. If you allow yourself to be.

Until next time, friends!

Things work out best for those who make the best of how things work out. – John

Wooden