Yesterday I talked to you about not letting things that steal your energy and joy “rent space in your brain” to use my husband’s analogy. Although my husband is not a philosopher by any means, his comment reminds me of a favorite quote by Gandhi, “I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet.”
Yesterday I asked how many things you’re renting space to -- things you should be evicting. Ideas, thoughts, obsessions, feelings, grudges that suck the joy and energy from your life.
Today I’m asking how many people with dirty feet are walking through your brain? How many family members are draining your energy with constantly negative comments and complaints? How many so-called friends don’t feed your friendship, but simply are sucking balls of need? How many acquaintances fill your inbox with e-mail forwards that slap your beliefs in the face? How many people “force” you to listen to racist, sexist, homophobic, crude or otherwise offensive jokes, comments, and diatribes just because you’re too “polite” to say “thanks, but no thanks”?
Do you have the courage to show these people the “welcome mat to your mind” and ask them to “please wipe their feet” before walking through your mind? If they refuse, do you have the further courage to kick them to the curb?
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Thank you for this post ... it has come at the perfect time. In promoting my most recent challenge, I've received some pretty negative feedback from a forum I frequent ... even had one person tell me I was very condescending. I don't see myself that way and I try very hard to be positive and encouraging to everyone. And ... it upset me. I guess I let them, with their dirty feet, trample through my head. So, I will metaphorically kick them to the curb.
ReplyDeleteFunny how one can receive so many wonderful comments but then be crushed by one.
Small Footprints
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