What people say about you does not determine who you are

"Someone's opinion of you does not have to become your reality" - Les brown.

As a child, I was constantly bombarded with two message threads.

1. You are useless, lazy, stupid, good for nothing; all you do is eat my food, get a job and leave. You will never amount to anything because you are lazy and stupid - Stepfather

2. You can do anything you put your mind to, and I believe in you - Mum

This first message was the constant belittlement I so abundantly received from my stepfather, an asshole of note. The second was from my mother. Despite her circumstances and upbringing, she was a woman who managed to be an eternal optimist. Others always gravitated towards her. She was someone who could change the vibrational frequency and energy around her at the drop of a hat. Unfortunately, I don't think that my mother was aware of this power that she possessed. 

This is true for all of us. We all possess one of the most powerful tools in the universe, our mind. 

The truth is that it is up to you to decide what you choose to believe. You have a choice. Where would I be today if I had chosen to believe that I was stupid, lazy, and would never succeed in life? Certainly, I would not have lived my life up to this point. I would not have been able to fulfill one of my life goals.

I chose to believe that I could do anything I put my mind to. I have refined it a bit over the years and adapted to force-feed it to my kids. 

It now forms part of our family's core beliefs. 

1. You can learn anything you choose
2. You have ability to become really good at anything you choose 
3. Success in anything you choose requires you to use your imagination and apply the correct amount of effort. Success = imagination + effort

 It is up to you to decide what you choose to believe. If you follow the three simple steps mentioned above, you can live your best life.