For a long time, I believed that being a good person meant I deserved to be treated with the same kindness I offered others. It felt like an unspoken rule: treat others well, and they will treat you the same.
But life has a way of dismantling our naïveté, often teaching us that expecting reciprocity just because we are "good" is a setup for disappointment. The world does not reward good people by default—you reward yourself.
The truth is, everyone walks around with their own narratives, justifications, and scars, and these often dictate their behaviour toward others.
Sometimes people hurt us, not out of malice, but because they are broken in ways we can’t see just like the saying hurt people, hurt people.
They may lack the tools or perspective to act differently, and justifying their actions may be the only way they can live with themselves. But this does not make it easier for those on the receiving end of their hurt.
Relying on others for validation or fairness is like hoping for sunshine in a storm. Instead, we have to find ways to validate and uplift ourselves, regardless of how others respond to us.
And it’s important to realize that the strength to move forward lies within. The world owes us nothing, and that’s a hard pill to swallow. But it’s also liberating because it means we don’t have to wait on others for our happiness.
We can create it for ourselves, on our own terms.
Life may never "pay us back" for the goodness we give out. But when we choose to stand by our values, to treat ourselves well, and to protect our own peace, we find a kind of inner reward that is far more reliable than external validation.
So, be good because it’s who you are—not because you expect the world to recognise it. Be good because it makes you proud of the person you see in the mirror, and remember, the power to reward yourself has always been in your hands.
DO NOT LET ANYONE ROCK YOUR BOAT