“The wise man will not upset the customs of the people, nor will he invite the attention of the populace by any novel ways of living.” – Seneca

It probably exists in every community in the world. There is likely always at least one family or individual in the community that is whispered about. The way they live draws attention and generates gossip within the community. Sometimes, this might be exactly what they want, sometimes it might be a product of things they can not control, and sometimes they just might not know any different.

No matter the reason, the lifestyle in those cases is a distraction. No matter what those people do, no matter how else they contribute to the community, the first thing most people will think of is the different way that they live. When we allow ourselves to become known for something, that something can easily become an obstacle we need to overcome in order to progress as people.

Instead we should be mindful of our actions, mindful of our behavior, our words and even our thoughts. When we find them crossing out away from the way most people act, talk, or even think we should question them. If we don’t have a solid reason to step outside the mainstream, we need to step back in. Not because we should be afraid to be judged by those around us but because we should be afraid to lose our ability to influence people around us by distracting them with something unimportant.

virtus fortis vocat