Don’t take it personal
Heard it be said
And it was challenging
To not take it
As if
The world was against me
Maybe it happened so often
That calluses formed
Or I grew up
And when I really
Really listened
Even though it stung
Most of the time
It was meant
With love
Even if it was said
With some bite
When it started with
Don’t be stupid
What the fuck is your problem
Or other awful beginnings
It was always followed by
A genuine
Suggestion
Even when it was wrong
For me
And my sanity
Take what you like and leave the rest by Robert Rodriguez. November 4, 2017. 10:19AM
Fresh Off The Pad Poetry 
I think people shouldn’t say “Don’t take it personally” as you always will. Instead, they should say “Take this personally” and then thanks to the miracles of reverse psychology, I will be like “OK then, I won’t take it personally!” and then the whole script is flipped! But then again the person saying that is looking to soften you up first before offering what I would hope to be constructive criticism but usually isn’t that at all. I really wish people would offer friendly advice more and find better ways to phrase things without coming off as jerks. “The calluses formed” is very vivid too. If there is anything in life I don’t want people messing with, it’s my teeth and my feet.
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Haha…good ole reverse psychology. Thanks for sharing your though process with me!
Don’t take it personally is definitely a sure way to make someone’s guard go up immediately, at least for me. If I ever offer advice nowadays it is usually (although I slip from time to time) when someone asks for it, and I would rather phrase it as a suggestion. That way I don’t take it personally if they don’t go with my suggestion and it gives them the option to “take what they like and leave the rest”. A Win, win for both parties!
I’m not fond of being messed with at all, but you have a good point, teeth and feet are definitely something I want people to stay away from. Cheers!
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