Reputation is everything.
Your reputation precedes you and either opens or closes doors for you. It is not fair, but people make judgement calls about you based on what they have heard about you. As the wife of a prisoner, then you have a lot to overcome. You have already been labeled as second-rate by society. It is your job to change that label.
When people hear your name, do they think of you as naughty or rather nice? I know, those words have all kinds of connotations depending on who is using them. For clarification, I am using them like Santa does. If you are living your life well and doing the best you can to do the right thing—you are on the nice list. However, if you are stirring up trouble wherever you go, and doing things you know will get you nothing but trouble—you are on the naughty list.
Are you on the naughty or nice list?
Take a moment and think about the past year. If someone were watching you live your life, which list would you be on? What about the past 30 days? It is not what we say, nor who we are connected to that defines our reputation. It is our actions or lack of action that tells the world who we are. And trust me, this world is quick to spread the news about who they think you are.
Are you on the naughty or nice list?
As you ponder the question of which list you are on—also think about which list you WANT to be on. Just because you have always been on the “naughty list” doesn’t mean that you have to stay there. Every day presents a brand new opportunity to become a better, stronger, nicer you. You need only to take advantage of the opportunities in front of you!
Let’s face it, holidays are hard. I am reminded of all the holidays we spent with Ron in prison. When Ron first went to prison, I did not want to celebrate at all. Celebrating felt like I was leaving Ron behind – that I was minimizing the excruciating pain our family was experiencing. I believed we were not entitled to experience joy, fun, or celebrations.
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Christmas is just weeks away
And then New Year’s is right behind it. Over the coming weeks, you need to ask yourself if what you are doing says who you really are. If your actions do not say who you are, then it is time to change what you are doing. This is the perfect season for evaluation of your reputation. Take time to rebuild it, and you will reinvent who you are. Your reputation will change.
No more naughty list! It is time to get on the nice list and then begin to live up to who you have the potential to become.
I am rooting for you!
Cathy