My goal for 2022 is to challenge generational conditioning that demanded I am not enough, not perfect enough, not pure enough to walk a path in strength unless I am bowing to the interpretations that many others have determined is the righteous path for the reward of eternal life.
What is the point of living eternal life where I, and others, will have to relinquish our sense of self and uniqueness to be accepted? Acceptance according to the interpretations of others goes against my goal of changing habits that result in othering.
Just because I do not accept the journey others are choosing for their life and their sense of wholeness does not mean that I reject them. In fact, I am stating that I have enough love and room in my heart to love all kinds of people from all walks of life and belief systems. I can stand at their side to listen to understand and to embrace all people unless they are harmful and abusing people for not aligning with their beliefs.
My goal is to be a kinder human that is living into her values to the best of her ability. This also means that empathy requires boundaries so all people have a sense of safety in their communities to believe what they believe.
I also believe that the threat of groupthink biases will present interesting and exciting lessons to be learned because we are imperfect humans. There’s a lot to learn about ourselves and others and the happiness and joy that I find for myself is through the uncomfortable moments of life and questioning everything to discern whether my morals, values, and ethics are being encroached is healthy.
It’s acceptable that people will feel discomfort with my assertions and discernments. That is not within my control and I do not desire for it to be. I have free will and I can make the choices for my life that align with my identity to provide others a safe space to feel seen, heard, and understood.
This becomes challenging with personalities that have no desire to listen to understand but to control my sense of self-empowerment.
That choice is none of my business and their acceptance is unnecessary to live into my vision of living and learning what my principles mean to me.
“Empathy without boundaries is not empathy.” Brene Brown