This world is filled will many different viewpoints and opinions on every topic you can imagine. Some people are very passionate about their beliefs, even when the topic at hand may be mundane to others. Everyone who holds an opinion is convinced they have the “right” one and will try to convince you of that. There isn’t necessarily a problem with that, because it’s important that if you believe in something, you should be able to support with knowledge as to why you feel the way you do. Not only does that make you a good conversationalist, but it adds credit to your beliefs. “Just because” and “because I say so” are lame cop out responses.

More important that being able to defend your stance with facts is to first know where you stand. People form their opinions from a life filled with experiences unique to them. Some of them will be good and some of them will be bad but regardless, they are the foundation of their mindset.

It’s important to know where you stand on certain topics so you can develop your own personality. We often obtain our first opinions from our parents or from people we were close to growing up. When we are under their wing and have not yet had the chance to go out and explore the world on our own we hear their opinions and often assume they are all knowing and right. Sometimes we grow to find out we still agree with the ones we were close to but sometimes we grow and learn we think differently. That’s perfectly ok. It’s healthy to develop your own thoughts based on your own experiences.

Don’t be afraid to be your own man (or woman, for my female readers).