What a lesson I learned! After writing an article about not taking things personally, my 
daughter changed plans on me and I got mad. I tried expressing my feelings of hurt to her but that didn’t go very well. We ended up fighting and me feeling like a hypocrite. What went wrong? Why did I take it personally? What can I learn from this? What can I preach to myself that can help me change this feeling of frustration?
I replayed the conversation over and over in my mind trying to look for clues as to what I should have done differently.
I realized that, first of all, I didn’t feel heard so, I pretended to have a conversation with her (in my mind). I explained to her, with much vulnerability, all of the things I have done and sacrificed for her arrival, not to make her feel guilty but to identify why her actions had affected me so much. I quickly realized that I was acting in a codependent mode and that I needed to release attachment to the way things needed to be.
Ouch! What a lesson! I am so glad I was able to play it out in my mind before I laid on her guilt trips. I will share with her the lessons and growth.
So, of course my article had to include this painful piece and the awareness that came with it.
I chose to believe that every person is innately good (including myself) and I look for that in every interaction and every conversation I have with others. I’m not naive nor a saint. I just make a choice. Daily. It’s not an easy choice because all around us we are bombarded with reasons why we shouldn’t trust people or why the world is evil.
I chose to give the benefit of the doubt because each person, in their own eyes, is right. We just haven’t had the chance to hear each other, or we just simply reject their opinion because it’s different from ours. Values are important, don’t get me wrong; they keep order and respect in a community.
The difference I want to point out here is, we can take things personally or we can try to understand and see if there is common ground. This requires openness of mind. To hear each other’s point of view without judgment or preconceived ideas is a monumental task. Just because something doesn’t match our values or beliefs doesn’t mean it’s wrong, we just have to find what benefits all.
This task requires that we look deep within and take responsibility for our feelings, actions, beliefs, and judgments. It requires that we recognize our part in everything we do, say or create. If we take it personal, we blame and judge, we stop listening and become victims. If we suspend judgment, acknowledge our own process, and attempt to see things from different points of view or perspectives, change and co-creation happens. Freedom happens.
If we wait for others to change so we can feel better, then we are placing control of our life, emotions and outcomes in the hands of somebody or something else and we relinquish responsibility for our own life. Your life is yours. How you choose to experience it is your choice. You can chose to take things personal and feel victimized or you can choose to be the co-creator of your experience and manifest what you desire most.
What would you choose?
I chose love.