Today I want to share another story with you.
(If you missed yesterday’s story, go back and read that one, too!)
There’s an old fable called “The Man, The Boy, and The Donkey”, and it goes something like this:
A father and his son were walking to a market with their donkey when a man nearby saw them and said, “Why aren’t either of you riding the donkey? That’s what they’re for.”
So the father decided to lift his son onto the donkey and let him take a ride.
After a few minutes, they passed a group of men who criticized the father and son. One of the men said, “Look at that lazy boy. He’s riding the donkey while his poor father walks.”
Hearing this, the father told his son to get down and climbed onto the donkey himself.
Not long after, two women saw them and shook their heads. “How awful,” one of the women said. “That man is riding the donkey comfortably while his son has to walk.”
Confused and wanting to please everyone, the father helped his son back up so they could both ride the donkey together.
When the father and son reached town, people laughed at them and said, “You should be ashamed of yourselves! The poor donkey has to carry the weight of both of you!”
It’s easy for people to judge where you are on your journey.
People will catch glimpses of your life–one decision, one chapter, one post, one move–and fill in the blanks with their own assumptions.
They are going to doubt you, judge you, not like you, overlook you, or just not care for what you have to offer.
Your job is not to tailor yourself every time someone has a new opinion of you.
Your job is to make choices that align with your values, desires, and goals.
When you choose to live in alignment, your nervous system begins to settle, you move with steadiness rather than tension, and you stop seeking everyone’s approval.
Steadiness doesn’t just come from your mindset.
It also comes from how you care for yourself daily, making micro-movements and decisions that feel right for you.
Moral of the story: you are never going to please everyone.
So walk your path (or ride your donkey), but above all, focus on where you are going.
How much do other people’s opinions influence your decisions?
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On Purpose
Yesterday I sat down with Thais Gibson to unpack one of the most powerful forces shaping our relationships: our attachment style. Together, we explored how our earliest emotional experiences quietly script the way we love, communicate, and respond to conflict. Thais explained how anxious, avoidant, and fearful-avoidant patterns aren’t flaws or labels to box us in, but adaptations we once needed to feel safe.
Listen on:
Today’s Wiser Choice
Try This: Think about one decision you’re currently making or hesitating to make.
Ask yourself these three questions:
Whose opinion am I trying to manage right now? Is it family? Friends? Social media? Colleagues?
If I knew for sure no one would judge my choice, what would I do?
What decision aligns most with my values, goals, and the direction I want my life to go?
Take one small step in that direction today.
Not the step that pleases anyone else. The step that feels true to you.
