The Other Perspectives series is about challenging existing beliefs, so this one might seem easy to dismantle as spiritually illogical when my message is always that you’re not responsible for what others choose to think, nor are other people responsible for your thoughts. But at the same time we must take into account that we are surrounded by people who are still asleep. And so they do take opinions (other people’s and their own), far too seriously—which is a psychological and spiritual mistake—but that being the case, it would be wise to pay attention to where their realities come from. People learn better when they feel safe and happy and their minds are open. So while you don’t want to go sacrificing too much, at the same time there’s no need to share harsh words or criticisms in 95% of cases. I know people who were given minor insults forty years ago and still most of their life is spent trying to avoid fulfilling that childhood definition. People are overly sensitive, and yes we’re—and they’re—going to say things we don’t mean when we’re angry or upset, but nevertheless we need to have a faith in the inherent goodness of people. What they say to us quite literally has far more to do with how they’re feeling about their life than about any one person in the present moment. And regardless, one waver on anyone’s part is not a death knell. So since all that correcting isn’t working anyway, why don’t we commit and go for it? What if we said: don’t bother speaking unless you have something nice to say. Because that’s good for both you and everyone else. It will bring out the best in everyone. Yes, like anything in life from jetlag to a new baby, changes take time to get used to. But if you truly make it a priority in your day it will soon become a healthy habit. And by changing yourself you will have made the whole of the world better too. Congratulations.
peace. s
Note: Everyone who posts or shares a quote does so with the very best of intentions. That said, I have created the series of Other Perspectives blog posts in an effort to prevent some of these ideas from entering into people’s consciousness unchallenged. These quotes range from silly to dangerous and—while I intend no offense to their creators—I do use these rebuttals to help define and delineate the larger message I’m attempting to convey in my own work. I do hope you find them helpful in your pursuit of both psychological and spiritual health.
I help people achieve better mental health by teaching them about reality.
