LET Wagging Tongues WAG

Swami Mukundananda encourages us to remain true to ourselves and turn a Nelson's eye to what others think or say about us

We spend too much thought and energy trying to gain the approval of others. While making decisions, 'What will others think' remains a dominant thought in the mind. Instead of running our own race in life, we get bogged down in pleasing others. This must change.

You can never please everyone

No matter what you do, there will always be those who will find fault, discourage, and dislike you. That is the nature of worldly people.

Even Mother Sita was not spared of it. Though she had proved her chastity beyond all doubt through a trial by fire, a dhobi (washerman) emerged who cast aspersions on her and said to his wife, 'I am not like Ram who brought Sita home after she had stayed in Ravan's Lanka for a year.' When the Mother of the universe could not be free from detractors in the era of Lord Ram, then it is unrealistic for us to expect everyone's approval in today's environment of hypocrisy.

As the expression goes, it takes all sorts to make this world. Others just cannot handle your success because it makes them look bad. For their own peace of mind, they love tearing you down.