

That raises a fundamental question to me:
Are companies required to get permission to get data from people?
Because currently, they sure seem to think they need permission, except when it suits the company’s interests (IE gathering data from people who explicitly reject their services and choose not to use them).
And while I understand that not everything is private, we have laws against gathering public data about people but only if you’re just one person. Stalking is a crime, unless you’re Facebook apparently.
The most powerful words in the world are the things we tell ourselves and believe.
I went to some workshop my mom really wanted me to attend after my marriage fell apart. It was years ago, and I don’t remember much because it really wasn’t my thing, but I clearly remember that phrase.
I took that to mean that it starts with how you treat yourself.
As someone who hit rock bottom, it gets better. My marriage ended with me in handcuffs, accused of something I didn’t do, with one of my daughters in an ambulance going to a psych hospital and the other daughter with my mom.
The charges got dropped the next day (long story) but I still spent a night in jail, and all I could think about is how long 20 years would be. How old my kids would be. I was 31 at the time.
I’m 35 now, moving in with a woman I couldn’t imagine not sharing the rest of my life with. My kids are with me for the school year, and they go stay with my ex for the summer. Literally everyone (even my ex) is better off, even if it doesn’t make me happy to admit it.
It gets better. And I think it starts by being nicer to yourself.
Therapy can really help, too.