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My takeaway is that that we should totally go hard on ideas, think critically and give them the tough love they need to make them the best they can be.
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I’ve disciplined my thinking over the years (with the help of therapy, buddhist meditation, etc), so that I spend more time questioning my perceptions of things (curiosity), instead of internalizing them and exhausting myself for life defending them. A pause while I step down from the soap box π
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But when it comes to people, we need to be gentle, kind, compassionate and understanding. After all, people are complex creatures and their ideas aren’t necessarily a reflection of who they are as individuals.
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They likely have suffering they’re unaware of, cultural influences, their education, so many things influence their worldview. Its fairer to say, they’re acting from a framework of conditioned beliefs more so than from who they are.
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I don’t image I’m the only one who grew up being fed “π―π°π΅-π¨π°π°π₯-π¦π―π°πΆπ¨π©” like it was a food group. Heck, I learned that not being myself was the way to gain approval and inclusion.
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Healing has involved unraveling all the messages pounded into my impressionable mind for so long, they became reality as I knew it.
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So, what this really boils down to is treating ideas like they’re a rebellious teenager: impulsive, indulgent, who needs to be pushed to the limits of scrutiny to reach their full potential.
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While treating people humanely, with compassion, steadfastness and patience. It’s all about finding that balance between being critical and being compassionate, and recognizing that there’s a time and place for both. I think I’ve gotten pretty skilled at that.
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So, take a moment to think about how you approach ideas and people in your own life. Are you being ruthless with your ideas, but gentle with people?
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Or are you maybe being too hard on yourself or others? It’s all about finding that sweet spot, so let’s all strive to be a little more introspective and empathic in our interactions.
