don't let others tell you about yourself
remember who you are.
Have you noticed there’s a lot of misdirected anger being thrown around right now? What I’m seeing is a lot of valid feelings about what’s going on in the world, but they’re just being aimed at the wrong target. It’s breaking up families, group chats, colleges and workplaces all over the country. If it hasn’t happened to you, I’m sure you’ve heard about it happening to someone you love. And if it hasn’t, I’m jealous and would love an invite to wherever you’re hanging out.
While I won’t claim to know how to fix all of our collective woes, I think this tricky period is offering us an opportunity to deepen our relationships with ourselves. When accusations fly around, it’s easy to absorb them, especially if you’re someone with high degrees of empathy. If you’re a conscientious person, it might be hard for you to separate someone’s projections about you, from who you actually are.
So how do we cope in this charged environment and still preserve a healthy sense of self?
First of all, I want you to recognize that the very qualities that make this moment challenging for you, are the most beautiful parts of you. And while you might be envious of the unbothered people walking around who seem unaffected by the cruelty of the world, I bet they secretly wish they could have been born being be as compassionate as you. Empathy can be learned, but you never needed the lesson. It’s not something you have to practice, it’s something you can’t help. Treasure that. Treasure yourself! The fact that you’re hurt right now, is proof that you’re good. Welcome the pain, like rain on an impossibly warm and humid summer day. The sun will come back.