Humans are extremely intelligent Beings. Most of us are under our parent wings for almost two decades while we learn as much as we can before moving on and creating our own life. That’s 20 years of experience and wisdom to draw upon as we live out our lives. Do you know any other mammal that nurtures their offspring for almost 20 years? It also means 20 years worth of wrong messaging and false beliefs passed down to us from past generations if we don’t use wisdom to challenge those beliefs to create a set of new guiding principles that adhere to our own moral conduct.
Did you know that most of our emotional reactions are learned within the first 6 to 7 years of life? We learn moral conduct; knowing right from wrong by age 3, the birthplace of Shame:
“Humiliation or distress caused by the conscious of wrong or foolish behavior.”That’s how old I was when knowing that I wouldn’t be accepted in our general society because according to them, whomever they are, who I am is “Wrong.” So for 31 years I struggled with a moral conflict - Right vs. Wrong.
For most of the two decades while under my parents wings I chose to do the “right” thing. I cooperated and lived my life according to socially acceptable norms. It wasn’t too difficult to do. I adapted to my environment and behaved exactly the way people “should.” I observed and watched very closely how my kind reacted to societies ignorance. And I made sure my response wasn’t the same. It’s another testament of human beings tenacity for survival.
Being consciously aware of every step you take. Every word you speak. And every lie you create eventually does take a toll on your psyche. It makes you sad, angry and bitter at the world. You feel like a prisoner trapped inside a small universe, yearning for freedom but fearing the consequences. “Is it really worth it – My freedom at their expense?”
Who I am and who I was becoming because of a moral conflict, were at opposite ends. Imagine an elastic band being stretched. At one end is me – authentic me running away from society. And at the other end it was adaptable me, who I’d become, running towards society. How much further can the elastic band stretch before snapping?
Is who I am so “Wrong” or is what they believe “Wrong”? That was the question needing an answer. If they are right and who I am is “wrong” then I deserve to live inside a small universe. But if I am right and live according to my moral conduct and do no wrong. Then I should grow as a Human Being and my universe should grow by leaps and bounds.
Ask Yourself:
- What is so wrong about me?
- What is the worse case scenario should anyone learn the truth - Does anything change?
- What is the worse comment someone can say?
- If I continue to stretch the elastic who is going to get hurt?
- Who is likely to judge me?
- Do they contribute to my overall growth?
- Will they help my universe grow by leaps and bounds?
Join us Thursday at 4pm EST for #AskTheCoach as Ivana Pejakovic B.Sc., MA takes the helm and will lead a 1-hour discussion on: Shame: “A painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the conscious of wrong or foolish behavior.”
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