7/45-No response needed

Ah! Did you think the title was about my post? Well, don’t be disappointed, but it is not. It is about our interactions in life. Surprise!

We seem to be programmed. Yes, that was the statement/sentence/declaration, whatever word applies to it. We are often raised with the expectation to say the right things, it probably started as socializing our wild little forms in to being polite, more mature versions of ourselves. While this isn’t a bad thing, it’s not a good thing, to a large degree, I kind of wonder if that is the moment we start to lose our authentic selves, when we slap a filter on our voices?

As well get older, we become more refined, more politically correct, more polite and more agreeable. Hmm, this makes me sad, as it also indicates that we stop being ourselves in some manner, we become acceptable, predictable, bland. CIVILIZED. Anyone else panicking a bit?

What happens when you go against the grain and speak your truth, your perspective, or the truth of the matter? Is it immediately accepted? Is it considered truth? Is it even considered??? Or do people just jump on to your convo thinking they are showing support by just agreeing with you, maybe getting heated on your behalf…is it all part of that programming of losing our voices?

I have really been speaking my truth for a while now, it differs from my opinion. My opinion is just that, it is what I think about something. My truth is that, a truth about myself or my life. Another’s perspective may vary, but in the end, it is my truth. Same goes for someone else. I may have an opinion about them or their life, but I cannot tell you what their truth is, only they can. I reckon I can relay their truth, but second hand info loses something in translation.

The point of all of this? We often don’t need a response or an opinion on things, especially about others’ lives, maybe we just need to listen, for to the person speaking, or for ourselves to apply to our own lives. We glean more from listening and observing, we also do well to listen, not judge and definitely not form an opinion.

This makes me think about my 45 days. I got upset earlier today when someone compared the ease of my day, with the difficulty of theirs. I thought, you have no idea how I arrived here, you need to understand we are on different journeys, and then I thought, I really don’t care what they think they know about my day, how I arrived here, or where they think I am going. Freedom!

What I did today for me:

• Attended day 2 of an online workshop
• I let opinion and judgment from another go
• I drank a lot of water

What I did for others:

• I let go of their opinion and judgment of me

Are you responding out of response? Are you responding out of support? Are you responding with truth? Are you having an opinion or just listening to what someone is saying? Do you know why you say or respond the way you do? I would love to know your thoughts, drop me a line!!