Are You A Certified Human?

Did someone just thank you for being kind and helpful? Or you read a comment on your Facebook timeline which says that you’re the best? If yes then raise your collar for it is indeed a moment of pride and happiness; you just got certified for those attributes! Easy isn’t it? Day in and day out we keep exchanging these paperless ‘certificates’ with each other however, we usually call them ‘compliments’ or ‘appreciation’.

While praises have their own sweet place in everyone’s life and earning them can really boost up your confidence, I feel sometimes they turn into a crutch. Whether it’s a piece of art or your own heart and mind, you’re always vulnerable to falling into the trap of praises where you start seeking approval for anything and everything.  But the world is not full of sugar there are a lot of spices too! So where you see a dozen thumbs up signs, you may get a lot of ‘thumbs down’ as well. Now the question is, if praises take you on a high, does criticism work as a de-motivator? Does it frustrate you? If yes then you’re walking ahead with the crutch of these ‘paperless certificates’.

Every interaction that you have with the world has its own significance. When someone tells you that you’re good at something it’s natural to feel happy but it’s equally important to make sure that it does not blind your vision with overconfidence. Even worse, if may just be a flattering comment with a hidden motive! Now I’m not being cynical here, just a little practical with the present scenario which we popularly call as ‘Kalyug’.

Going with the flow may not always be a good idea, especially if it’s a tidal wave. The downside of being dependent on others for approving things about your existence is that when you receive a negative feedback it can put into a morose state of mind and in the long run it can ruin your growth.

People’s responses are a result of their individual perceptions. It may differ from the reality and wider the gap between the two, the more you need to be away from those opinions. Here’s an example of how you can handle such situations. If someone tells you that you’re selfish, before plunging into darkness take a third person's view of  the situation and check if the person is expecting too much. Then reverse the situation and from your past experiences, try to analyze if the same person would do exactly what he or she is demanding. Do you see a gap there? Then just ignore the other person’s comment about you being selfish. There’s no need to explain yourself for you actually don’t need an ‘A-Grade Goodness Certificate’ from that person. Taking this deeper into your mind, always ask yourself a question, “Are these people even in a position to judge you?”

This individualism comes with years of practice where you regularly analyze yourself from a third person’s perspective. As you become aware of your plus and minus zones, you will start getting immune to how others see you or how they judge you. Your shopping cart won’t be lying around on your screen waiting for a ‘Yes’ from your friends for you know what's best for your wardrobe. An insult will pass by like traffic noise while compliments will bring delight but will never slow you down.

Again friends, no ideology should be followed in its absolute sense! You’d surely want your boss to approve your project before you give a presentation to your clients. Your kids and spouse will definitely rate your cooking and your teacher will grade your performance during exams to approve your promotion to the next class. So basically you cannot do away with these certificates completely, but it’s always good to travel ahead with minimum luggage!

Now that I’ve written about collecting approvals, I’m tempted to check on my own list of certificates. I’m just curious to know how many people have ‘certified’ me for being a good human being and how many feel that I’m bad, or wait, should I just chuck the idea and get myself a cup of coffee? I think, coffee sounds better!

As always, I would love to have your feedback about this post. Don’t worry I won’t get carried away and take criticism constructively if some didn’t like it, so do write back for I like interacting with my readers!

Here are my outfit details:

Shirt: The Label Life
Skirt: Zara
Heels: Lifestyle
Necklace and Ring: Bhavs Designer Jewellery (My creations)