You know that saying…. No one can make you feel inferior without your consent?

It is a bloody good saying, and if the internet historians are to be believed, we owe our thanks for this little nugget to none other than the illustrious late Eleanor Roosevelt – American politician, diplomat, activist and incidentally, the longest-serving First Lady of the United States.

I have seen it around the place over the years, popping up in my Facebook feed here or there, or being quoted in some TV show or other.

However, today I mull over it more intently than usual and for an entirely different reason.

Today, I feel these words deeply. I need to remember them, to honour them.

You see, I feel like crap.

Why? I won’t go into detail, but let’s just say I have been faced with some situations of late where I have felt a little like a fish out of water (in one situation) and feeling unwanted and replaced (in another).

Yesterday, I faced the first and, if I do say so myself, I smashed it out of the ballpark. Feeling great, feeling confident, feeling successful – Amanda for the win!

Today, I faced the second, and have not had such good luck so far.

But you know what? At the end of the day, as much as I feel like some people around me could be comporting themselves better, the person who is making me feel like this is ME. Yes those people are upsetting me, yes I don’t agree with some of their decisions, the way they are doing things, or the way they are conducting themselves towards me. But when it comes down to it, how I feel is up to me, and I need to remember that.

So, this is me drawing a line in the sand. No more of that.

You will not make me feel inferior.

You do not have my consent.

That is all.

PS for those of you wondering about my picture selection for this article…. well, its a badass cat, so…why the hell not! This guy should be my spirit animal, does he look like he takes any shit? I think not…