I've Learned A Lot!

As the title suggests, I really have learned a lot over the last few years, more than most people would learn in a life time. I never thought I would say this, especially after the trauma I suffered in Southampton, but I really feel that I am beginning to turn that corner; the one I was always told about, It sounds a bit corny, doesn't it; to be honest, I have turned many corners over my life time, continuing to do so in Spain, but today, something feels different. It has to do with self belief, determination and most importantly, recognising danger signs; something I could never do in the past.

Wherever you go in the World, you will always come up against unpropitious people; it's a fact of life. I used to think, you could run away, start again and avoid those adverse members of society, but the reality is, wherever you find good, you will always find the bad, they are attracted to each other, like a magnet to mental. Once you accept that fact, you truly can move forward in life.

One should use a process of elimination, to identify those individuals, who are 'bad for your health,' the one attribute I have never had; working people out; rather I didn't have until I came to Spain. I have really started to notice various traits in people, that remind me of the worst elements we left behind. Someone once told me, when I had just moved here, that this place, is the best in the world; a great place to live, work and socialise, which of course it is. However I was warned, like anywhere, there are characters you should avoid and  be aware of.

I never really noticed people in the past, their ways, mannerisms, the things that make them tick. Like most folk, I took others at face value, accepting every word they said, as the truth; today I am very different. I am very wary around everyone, until I get to know them, even then I am cautious, because today I have an inbuilt sense of judgement, that I use to single out, the chaff from the wheat.

When you do suffer at the hands of bullies, you have to learn to change, so it doesn't happen again and believe me, I have been close to similar people; those who like to control, take you for granted, use and abuse; even here in Spain. Today I deal with it very differently, keep my distance, avoid them like the plague, don't give anything away and do my damndest to remove them from my life.

A word of caution here. Do not get manipulated by others, giving their four penneth worth, telling you this or that person is to be avoided, advising you on who you can and can't talk to; these are the manipulators. They give themselves status, a sense of importance and are often difficult to analyse; we prefer to believe they are friends, rather than enemies or opportunists, but they are indeed the ones to watch. Do not let others influence your decision making, use your own mind to determine right from wrong!

​So what is the point of this entry today; well it has to do with the way I am feeling. Life is an ongoing learning curve; some of us learn from our mistakes, others do not. For many years, I accepted that I would probably stumble through life, meeting the wrong people, but actually today, I have started to understand what makes them tick and offload the deadwood, when I so choose! Lessons learned!