I don’t let my emotions get to me like they used to. I have learned to give people the benefit of the doubt and see the good in others as often as possible. Even the ones that don’t seem so ‘good’ I remind myself we do not know what others are dealing with in their lives, be kind.
I choose to think that people who challenge us often just need more love and patience. Then there are days when life sends a character to cross your path that makes you think maybe you were wrong. Are all people truly good at heart? Are they really doing the best that they can in the time and space that they are given?
I will not lie and say I have never done anything wrong or done something that hurt others. I have. I am human. I am not proud of those moments and choose to learn from those mistakes and the feelings of disappointment in myself. When this happens, I vow to do better next time. I think most people do the same.
Like Maya Angelou say’s “When you know better, you do better.”
I believe this with my whole heart. What baffles me are people to continue to hurt people after they know better or have been hurt themselves. People of authority abusing their power to get what they want knowing full well that it is not benefitting the greater good choose to do it anyway. They choose not to learn lessons offered to them.
The people who choose to point fingers instead of take responsibility are not people I respect or look up to. It is a shame that we often find people like this in positions of authority who often abuse that power. This is the whole premise behind the #MeToo movement and behind all racism in our County. Abuse of power ticks me off.
Since I was a young girl I have learned to believe that your age, career or title do not give you any special privileges to treat people like crap. I just don’t buy it. I treat the President of a Bank the same way I treat the kid who helps me bag my groceries. If you are jerk well, I could mirror that right back at ya babe… but now I just choose to walk away from conflict. I stand stong and comfortable in my calm.
I have come to terms with my ‘shadow side’ the side that won’t let people treat me with disrespect. The side that helps me set healthy boundaries in my relationships and in life. These feelings of anger or discomfort have a purpose in our lives and should not be shoved down. We mustn’t be led by these negative emotions but allow them to speak to us and help us discern the truth of our situation.
Being able to listen to our instinctual emotional reflexes to others and situations is a blessing. We are giving these feelings as gifts to help us navigate life. Just because we feel anger, rage or disappointment does not mean our lives are consumed by these emotions. We have the ability to move through our emotions follow our hearts to a brighter tomorrow.
How we choose to navigate our gifts is up to us. When you know better, you do better. I believe this is true for most people. I choose to embrace the light and the dark side of our human duality, we were given these gifts for a reason. How you choose to use them is up to you, and the legacy you wish to leave.
Wishing you an abundance of blessings,
Emy Minzel ~ Adventure Sister
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Stacy Crep ~ Adventure Sister
Emy Minzel 