Peer Pressure

In my heart I really long to be the kind of person who doesn't care about what other people think. In some ways I'm totally successful with that. In other ways I keep wondering if I'm doing something right or if I'm good enough. Sometimes I think, "What will people say?!" Those attitudes can be paralyzing and really keep you from feeling confident and comfortable with yourself.

On the other hand I've been thinking that it's not all bad. Sometimes wondering, "What would people think?" makes me do the right thing. Knowing that my neighbors might just be shaking their heads makes me get the leaves up off the lawn before it kills the grass. I know it needs to be done, but I feel lazy about it. They give me that little push.

Sometimes I don't really think through the possible dangers of what my kids are doing when we're out in public and I'm inclined to be a little too laid back. But then a little voice in my head says, "What will people think?" and then I look at what the kids are doing from an outsiders point of view and I can better evaluate the safety what they're doing.

I'm not saying that I want to be controlled by other people, far from it, but a little peer pressure apparently has it's place.