Every minus is half of a plus?
Consider the possibility that what you thought was wrong with you may actually be what’s right with you! And if this is so then you have made only one mistake, that of judging yourself negatively, based on possibly erroneous or insufficient evidence.
Here are some ways what you thought was wrong with you might actually be right.
APPARENT NEGATIVE POSITIVE POTENTIAL
- apprehensive cautious, vigilant
- class clown tension reliever
- controlling leadership, take charge
- disabled overcomer, inspirer
- dreamer visionary, mystic
- judgmental discerning, discriminating
- miserly prudent, self-control
- naive innocent, pure heart
- obsessive persistent, perseverence
Every so-called negative trait holds the seed of a positive potential that goes far beyond the judgments we may hold about it. “Character deficits” may simply be assets in the early stages of development.
Shortly after a divorce I remember saying that the reason I married someone was the same reason I divorced him. He was fun, light-hearted, and carefree-all traits that I wasn’t. And it’s not that he changed, but my perception shifted as I saw that he was one more child in my life, irresponsible and needing more attention than I could possibly continue to give.
And I realize that we are always at choice, both in how we label ourselves and in how we label others. It’s not them. It’s us!
Oh dear! Well, at least I have also learned that I can focus on seeing my good traits, doing the good things within my capabilities, and allowing everyone else to be who they are and to do what they need to do.
Have YOU had any similar thoughts about yourself and others?
3 Comments
This seems to be the way I have always struggled with in making decisions about what is the right thing to do. For example, am I just being selfish or doing the right thing for the situation. My chief example is when I decided to get a divorce. On the one hand, my relationship with my husband was in the ditch and on the other hand, he was still the father of my 3 kids so I wanted to do the best thing for them. In the end I chose divorce because I just couldn’t go on the way things were and I couldn’t fix them. Did I make the right decision? After death, the Egyptians weighed the heart against a feather. A pure heart should be as light as a feather. It’s interesting to me that the leading cause of death in the U.S. is heart disease. What does that mean for our culture? The popular concept in our medical system is that the brain controls all. That’s one reason is it is protected by a thick skull. However in the Chinese and Egyptian cultures, the heart rules. The Chinese actually refer to the heart as the Emperor. After all, the brain cannot function without the oxygen that the heart delivers. The Egyptians emphasize the importance of the heart by their statues. They always had the left foot positioned a little forward as if they were taking a step. They were aware that the heart is positioned left of center in the body. I think they were saying we should always lead with our heart. These were ancient cultures but they had a wisdom that is not present in our time.
This is Groundhog day and also the puppy bowl. Forget the super bowl, the puppies are much cuter than those football players. They always make my heart a little lighter. Woof!
Mary Kay, thanks for you. I could have written this almost verbatim. It can take years to figure it all out afterwards, and then we wonder how much of our conclusion was to make ourselves “right” (speaking for myself, of course).
My final answer is that I may never know for sure. Nevertheless, it worked for me.
Such a good message, Pat! Yes, been there! Everything you said is so true!