Double Quote ~ Walking Away

 

There are some people who always seem angry and continuously look for conflict. Walk away from these people. The battle they're are fighting isn't with you, it's with themselves. ~ Unknown

 

Being someone who strives for continuous improvement to be a kinder person every day, and find ways to remove destructive conflicts from my life, I still am surprised by those who seek out conflict and prefer mean-spirited behavior over moving more gently through life. I used to think if I could be kind enough or gain true understanding of the demons which plague those who prefer to operate from a place of conflict, I could fix the situation. Although this approach can work in some circumstances, I have come to the conclusion this is not a unilateral truth. Some people carry such deep fear or anger in their bellies that they cannot comprehend or receive kindness for kindness' sake so being unkind and hurtful is the only way they can function.

 

Truth be told, I have never been much of a fighter, so instead of learning to fight well, my quest has been to learn to disagree respectfully and, in this, not subvert my important truths. More importantly though, I am learning how to simply walk away, turn the other cheek so to speak, but most importantly not engage in or respond to the pokes, prods, or passive-aggressive behavior I encounter from those who are battling within themselves. I will always be kind, but in setting healthy boundaries and calling a spade a spade, I have resigned from my prior role as a punching bag for the mean-spirited people of the world. ~ Mk Michaels

Double Quote ~ Two Facing Reality

It is funny how you're nice to my face. It's hilarious how you talk unkindly behind my back, and it is  downright comical you think I'm unaware. ~ Unknown

Don't mistake my grace and kindness for me being a fool. ~ Mk Michaels 

Double Quote ~ Judging ~ Don't!

When you judge another, you do not define them, you define yourself. ~ Wayne Dyer

Oh how harshly we can judge others at times!  We judge behaviors, appearances, parenting, opinions, decisions, possessions, and on and on and on.  We judge with such prejudice and are fully confident that we are ‘better’ than those we are judging.  Here is what I have learned though ~ virtually without exception, everything I have ever judged has come full circle to bite me in the ass.  When I was in my twenties and judged that mother at the grocery with the child who threw a kicking, screaming tantrum in the cereal aisle?  Guess what?  That was me in my thirties.  The woman who was struggling to balance her career and parenting ‘not doing a very good job of either’ who I judged in my thirties?  That was me in my forties.  Full circle, I tell you, full circle.  The reality is that as I was judging others, I had no clue what the reality of their life, their day, or that moment was like.  For shame…

Because I am much more capable of seeing beyond what meets the eye and giving others the benefit of the doubt at this stage in life, I am much slower to judge.  Instead of disparaging what I view as a lapse in judgment at work resulting in a bad outcome, I attempt to refocus the conversation and create a learning opportunity.  Instead of judging someone who spoke unkindly of me, I try to understand the underlying reasons for the bad behavior, typically fear or envy, and return it with compassion, light, and love.  Instead of staying mired down in the negative of a situation and even stirring the pot further, I endeavor to rise above and not add more to a bad situation.  In staying out of the judging fray, I believe I am not only doing less harm in the present time, but also limiting what could come full circle and bite me in the future.  By choosing to limit my judgment of others, I am also choosing kindness, compassion, a more gracious existence, and defining myself as someone I can be proud to be in front of my children, for they are always watching.  ~ Mk Michaels