That Viral Video…

 It’s been about a year since I posted a video that has since had 110.1k views. I saw someone say the words and then I thought hell I could do this. 

“Tell me you don’t look your age without telling me you don’t look your age, I’ll go first 41”

Let me start by saying that I have always been told I don’t look my age. I have always been told there was no way I was that old. I always thought to myself its the Gen X genes. What can I say I wasn’t thinking… 

Why would I subject myself to the scrutiny I was about to be subjected to… The comments started rolling in you look great, I swore you were younger, no way you’re 41. My ego was in charge at this point boom 10K, 20k, 30k, it just kept going. I was getting a negative comment here and there, someone lied to this guy he looks 50. Look at all the grey in his beard, one comment after another just ripping me to shreds. 

I shut the comments off when it hit 100K people say, you went viral. I just couldn’t handle it, the hate this video had generated. Why are people so mean…

What was the lesson I could take away from this became the question. The truth, maybe I look older and maybe I look younger. People are mean and fickle, they want to bring attention to themselves and that was what I was trying to do as well. I just didn’t get the attention that I thought I was going to get. 

Age is subjective, what you think old or young looks like could be very different to someone else. Start to think about how you interact with people and how you judge them. I have worked very hard to not judge people, it’s not my place. I have also tried to put myself in their shoes, who hurt them? Why would they feel the need to tear someone down. Most often they are trying to make themselves feel better because they feel bad about themselves.

So as you go throughout your day, think about the things that are different about you. Use them as strengths, I may be older but I am definitely wiser that that 41 year old a year ago. Age doesn’t define you, your circumstances do not make you who you are. You make you who you are! If you are reading this, you are a Success Warrior!