Every Monday I will post a new thought, idea, or focus for the week. When you need a breather from life, when you need a little inspiration, or when you're about to jump over the conference table and strangle your co-worker, remember the mantra.
Monday Mantra: Speak with authority
One of my many flaws is this: I don't always speak with authority. In every day talk, I just talk. I generally don't like debates. I'm not into drama. I understand that we live in a vast and diverse world with all kinds of beliefs in all kinds of things. I try my best to be respectful of all of those, but by doing so sometimes that makes me seem weak. Sometimes that makes me seem less confident in what I believe.
I've had people tell me before that they don't want to see me get "walked all over" and other nonsense like that, which is completely impossible unless I'm dealing with frost giants. Pushover is a common name used for those of us who do not go into battle over every little thing, those of us who do not need drama every single day.
I disagree with the people who say those things. I don't think kindness is a weakness. I don't think silence means you're more likely to bow down on bended knee to anyone or any idea. I think, on the contrary, that being peaceful is far more difficult than it is to lash out, to strike back, to lay the law of your land. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is to keep the peace. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is be silent.
I like to refer to this act of silence or gentleness as being a Peaceful Warrior. Yes, I know, it's a movie.
Those of us who follow a more peaceful path have made the choice consciously, just as those who want their voices heard have also made that choice consciously. We Peaceful Warriors are more Gandhi than Ali. We have seen enough struggle and fought enough battles in our time that we have no desire to fight any unnecessary little ones. We know the difference between what's worth a fight, what's worth standing up for, and what isn't.
What I've learned, for me anyway, is that when I am trying to be open minded and politically correct (or heck, even when I'm just really tired) my tone of voice is different. I sound softer, I nod and "mmm hmm", and sometimes that makes me seem like I don't stand for anything. And while I am very much dedicated to a low drama lifestyle, I need to be a little more confident in my tone so that what I do believe in is clear. So today I am embarking on a new Peaceful Warrior journey. I have decided that I can still be peaceful and state my claim, gently yet firmly, in a way where no question is left as to what I stand for, while still being completely open minded to others. I've decided that my Peaceful Warrior wears a smile and army boots, just so everyone is clear on where she stands.
So, whether you're a Peaceful Warrior in (flip flops or army boots) or someone who speaks their claims loud and clear every single day, we should all keep in mind that we're different. Not only in what we think and why we think it, but in how we express it as well. And that expression may vary, but that doesn't make one person weaker than the other.
One person's words are another person's silence and both speak volumes in their own way.
I've had people tell me before that they don't want to see me get "walked all over" and other nonsense like that, which is completely impossible unless I'm dealing with frost giants. Pushover is a common name used for those of us who do not go into battle over every little thing, those of us who do not need drama every single day.
I disagree with the people who say those things. I don't think kindness is a weakness. I don't think silence means you're more likely to bow down on bended knee to anyone or any idea. I think, on the contrary, that being peaceful is far more difficult than it is to lash out, to strike back, to lay the law of your land. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is to keep the peace. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is be silent.
I like to refer to this act of silence or gentleness as being a Peaceful Warrior. Yes, I know, it's a movie.
Those of us who follow a more peaceful path have made the choice consciously, just as those who want their voices heard have also made that choice consciously. We Peaceful Warriors are more Gandhi than Ali. We have seen enough struggle and fought enough battles in our time that we have no desire to fight any unnecessary little ones. We know the difference between what's worth a fight, what's worth standing up for, and what isn't.
What I've learned, for me anyway, is that when I am trying to be open minded and politically correct (or heck, even when I'm just really tired) my tone of voice is different. I sound softer, I nod and "mmm hmm", and sometimes that makes me seem like I don't stand for anything. And while I am very much dedicated to a low drama lifestyle, I need to be a little more confident in my tone so that what I do believe in is clear. So today I am embarking on a new Peaceful Warrior journey. I have decided that I can still be peaceful and state my claim, gently yet firmly, in a way where no question is left as to what I stand for, while still being completely open minded to others. I've decided that my Peaceful Warrior wears a smile and army boots, just so everyone is clear on where she stands.
So, whether you're a Peaceful Warrior in (flip flops or army boots) or someone who speaks their claims loud and clear every single day, we should all keep in mind that we're different. Not only in what we think and why we think it, but in how we express it as well. And that expression may vary, but that doesn't make one person weaker than the other.
One person's words are another person's silence and both speak volumes in their own way.
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