We Are Not Defined By Isolated Moments

Isolation QuoteEveryone has a bad day. Sometimes, you might even have a bad week, or a bad month, or even a bad year. And sometimes, when you are at your worst, you might even find yourself acting completely out of character. Maybe you are a little sleep deprived, or stressed, or just feeling a little bit punchy.

Has that ever happened to you? Of course it has! It happens to all of us. It’s called being human, after all.

Recently, I had what I will call an “unfortunate moment.” I reacted to a situation in a way that I know was a little over the top. Then, almost immediately, I paused, took a breath, regained composure, and set things right (or, so I thought).

While we all try to have filters through which we speak and through which we conduct ourselves, the truth is, we all have our “moments.” And personally, I don’t spend a beat wondering whether something that I said or did while having a bad day or a bad moment, changed anyone’s perception about me. Those moments are isolated, and they are not what defines me.

Michelle SandlinI learned long ago that not everyone is going to like me, and I am Ok with that. I also know that the things that I say and do are not always going to be the popular thing to say or do, but I am OK with that too. I just have a difficult time holding onto something that has the potential to fester if not given the chance to breathe, so I tend to speak my mind.

You know the saying, “If it’s on my mind, then it’s on my tongue.” That’s how I am.

The thing to remember though, is it may not be the thing that you said, but the way that you said it. My way of saying things doesn’t really tend to be with a spoonful of sugar. I tell it like it is, or I don’t say anything at all. That’s just my way.

What I don’t subscribe to, is the notion that having a bad moment or a bad day could really change the way that people think about you. It gives them something to talk about, but it doesn’t change who you are.

You are still the same to anyone who matters, and you don’t need to prove yourself beyond that. Anyone who doesn’t give you the benefit of the doubt, or changes their views about you, or wants to waste their energy on negativity, I say let them. It’s not a reflection on you; it’s a reflection on them.

And, as my grandmother used to say, “Never let the bastards get you down!”

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