They say mimicry is the best form of flattery...I'll admit, it took me years to understand this. I didn't like it if someone went out and got the same hair cut, sweater, bag, book, or even did the same activities as me. Man was I missing out on sharing with others then...
I used to get annoyed when someone would copy my idea's. I mean, I came up with them first, didn't I? I put them in action first, I wanted to be known as the first to do this or that. I'm not sure why that was so important to me or what changed my way of thinking on this, maybe having kids, watching how they copy what each other does in play and how they have this strong desire to emulate what their parents are doing.
We want our kids to grow up to be better versions of ourselves, how can they do that if they don't copy what we do, if we don't allow them to follow along? And I sure don't want them to copy bad ways. I also learned that it is more fun to share in these "idea's" with others and know that people are enjoying the same fun as me! I now see this with my own kids and their friends, I overhear their conversations about "so-and-so had to copy me." I recently responded with "hey, that just means they really liked your idea and must like you, who doesn't like being liked?!"
I also learned that by trying to be what I thought was an original and unique, meant I was limiting myself on experiences and sharing in things with others. (I do not mean you shouldn't be your own self) And to be honest, I really couldn't take credit for coming up with all these idea's on my own, really, I knew that I was going off of someone else's idea or wanting to bring it to my group of friends as well! Not only that, but really?? get over myself, I'm not the first to walk this side of the planet ;)
Over the past few days I have been trying to plan a Grils Night In. I enjoy hosting things, I enjoy people having fun and sharing in that fun with them. I have a few friends that sell certain things and I thought it would be fun to have an open house for them to showcase their homebased businesses and have a girls night with food, wine and just simple fun. Now, I know I'm not the first to come up with this idea, in fact, a friend just had one of these parties last month. Ironically another friend was thinking the same thing, only her party would be just one week before mine. Hey, they say great minds think alike! Now this does crack me up, make me smile and chuckle to myself, but it does not upset me, how could it when she is a friend and we had both been to a similar party...(timing is funny)? Now I get another chance to go celebrate and have fun with a group of ladies where I don't have to be the entertainer...and I can see how she does her party and put my own spin on mine =) Win win if you ask me!
So the next time you feel someone "steals" your idea, take a deep breath and think about how they must like you enough to want to do the same, it really IS a form of flattery, and I think we all enjoy an "attagirl!" every once in awhile. In my case it was great minds DO think alike. Hey, don't we want friends who enjoy similar things?
Life is good, get on with it, live it LOUD!
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