“Everybody’s Stupid, You Know”

So I was having a chat with my Mom, telling her about how I’ve been wanting to play my Ukelele and sing in the streets of Europe, the way so many amazingly talented people do. But I won’t because I’m terrible at it.

Mom prodded me with a curious “Okay, so?” and I said, “You know I suck. I’ll just make a giant fool of myself!”

She responded with a scoff, “So what’s the big deal? Everybody’s stupid, you know!”

Okay, by now you’ve probably figured that my Mom makes no bones about calling a spade a spade, and I only wish I could’ve picked up a strand of the sass gene on my way along.

But it sort of adds up, don’t you think?

Everybody around us is stupid. Regardless of how smart or brilliant or well turned out they may be.

Last year was great. I moved to Germany, got married and started a brand new chapter in the course of life. I traveled to 10 new countries, met a ton of people, read a ton of books, learned a new language, did a whole bunch of things that are pretty cool in my head. And I’m proud and I think I’ve been killing it.

[You Might Like: 10 Surprising Things That Happen When You Move Abroad]

Then, this morning while running errands, I forgot the way back home and wandered around the streets for an hour like a headless chicken. Not to mention my phone battery died because I didn’t care enough to charge it.

Didn’t do a whole lot for my self-esteem.

But I bet that you, too, have been through something similar. Or something more, or less, ridiculous.

And guess what? It’s no big deal. Why? Because it happens to everyone.

We’re All Weird

We’re all weird and awkward. We all have bad breath when we wake up, we all fart when no one’s around, we all sing in the shower, and we all accept terms and conditions without reading them. We all ask silly questions and we all have dumb moments and we all are too cool to own up to this. And that’s the best part. We’re all collectively weird, idiosyncratic and despicable and that’s just such a great leveler, if you think about it.

It’s an even playing field, and we’re all equals.

Stage fright is amongst the most common fears in people. While there are so many tips on overcoming it, the one that really strikes a chord is to imagine the audience in their underwear. This is real advice, you guys! And as crass as it sounds, you gotta love it because it works!

Imagining the audience naked gives the speaker a sense that beneath all those shiny ensembles and Grade A appearances, everybody is the same. We’re made up of the same nakedness, the same set of flesh and bone, and in that way, we’re all strangely vulnerable to the same kind of human follies.

The “What will people say” Syndrome

“Okay first off, get over yourself” – This is a note to me as much as it is to you.

We’re just a tiny speck in the mammoth scheme of things. Just one tiny, pitiable speck. The world has a pace that is impossible to keep up with, and it’ll keep drifting along. You can wait and brood and sulk all you want about how others perceive you, but the grand truth is that 99% of the people you’re worried about won’t have a flying hoot to spare.

This is the most overstated, yet underrated fact. Really, no one cares. Well, mostly no one does.

If you look at that 1% of the lot that does care, you’re going to have to picture them naked.

Before you start to freak out, I don’t mean literally! You have to take into account how they’re the same as you, even if they’re smarter or richer or better looking. Just knowing everybody is here to share the same space as you, helps you make light of your apprehensions in such a smooth and effortless manner.

Of Course It’s Not Easy!

What I’m talking about is a perspective, and it takes time to condition our mind to a new way of thinking. I can write pages upon pages about courage and confidence, but I know I still have issues that stem from a place of insecurity and fear of rejection.

My objective of sharing this with you is to help you find a sense of direction in managing your thoughts.

Most fears are illogical – they have more to do with the heart than with the head.

So when you begin looking at people as equals to yourself, you start combating your fears with logic.

And it’ll all be unlike you and it’ll seem uncomfortable at the start, but if you keep doing it over and over, you’ll reach a point where you will have successfully overcome that giant Fear Monster stopping you from doing what you’ve wanted to do all along.

So you have the chance to:

• Ask that person out on a date
• Demand a raise at work
• Wear that one item in your closet you know is Lit AF but (you think) doesn’t look good on you
• Sing karaoke
• Go to the gym by yourself
• Run a marathon

And if you’re not doing anything on or outside of this list, only for fear of what people might think, I’m here to tell you and then repeat it – Everybody’s stupid.

I won’t say no one will judge you or mock you, because, let’s face it – Not everybody is nice, encouraging and supportive. Not everyone is civil. But one thing’s for sure – Everybody is as prone and vulnerable to being a total fool as you are. And that’s funny, strange, and liberating, all in the same breath.

That’s about it, beautiful people. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to take that damned ukelele and go croon in the streets for as long as I care to.
You too go kick some ass today!