During my challenge so far, I have been trying to tap into my mindsets more, and watch how I view things. Change that view or attitude when it's not a good one.
For example, just following a nice relaxing class where I want to be calm and slow and meander home, but I really do have to get going for the rest of the day... someone being slow on the road can irritate me. But just following a peaceful class? Where should my mind be? Not irritated with the other driver, who could very well be terrified driving on the interstate, and is therefore driving slowly.... but on how I can accommodate that other person. Go around them rather than getting too close for comfort. Wish them a good day, as I pass, because they're just another human, and they are no more perfect than I am.
It was shocking to me how often things like this happened and I had to change my outlook. And it made me realize just how often I was allowing people to affect me and how I feel about my day.
It is not slow driver's fault I am in a hurry. It is not coupon lady's fault I took too long at the store and need to rush this part of my trip. It is not the little girl counting her pennies' fault that school is almost out, and I need to get there...
Always in a rush. Always in a hurry. Always somewhere to be.
I'm beginning to understand how people in a calmer more relaxed society see how we are, and it's a little sad.
Now, this doesn't mean I don't have places to be, and can be late to work or late picking kids up. It means I need to be more mindful and watch my times better while I'm out, rather than trying to rush the end of that time to get somewhere. That's just our society, and how things run. It's rude to be late, can get you fired, etc. But we don't have to push negative energy on other people for MAKING us late... that is our own fault, not theirs.
So anyway... just a random thought, and when I came across the poster above, it just seemed fitting.
If we are running low on gas and driving slowly to conserve it, I bet that bothers other people. We have been in the slow driver's shoes before. We have lost our card, or had to fish for cash at the register before, and I'm sure that bothered the people behind us. We have been in slow consumer's shoes before. We have been that little kid, counting out the change to buy something with our very own money.
Try and remember that we are all human. We all make mistakes. Give each other a break. Check that attitude, that mindset. And if it were you in those shoes, how would you want someone to react? To treat you? To think toward you? Act accordingly.
This is an easy thing, when it comes to not saying mean things to each other, or not hitting, like we teach our kids. The mindset side is decidedly more difficult. But absolutely worth striving for.
Namaste.
(and since this also fits... a definition of that word for you, if you are not familiar:)
"I honor the place in you where Spirit lives.
I honor the place in you which is
of Love, of Truth, of Light, of Peace.
When you are in that place in you,
and I am in that place in me,
then we are One."
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