So yesterday ended up being, well a bit disappointing. Not the day, but more of people not living up to their commitments which in turn was not living up to my expectations.
But, I guess people don't have to live up to my expectations - we all only have to live up to our own expectations.
So then the key is getting those expectations in line.
I have been working on that myself, one of my expectations of myself that I am working on is:
To be honest with others at all times, even if a "little white lie" would be easier - because each time I tell a harmless white lie it steals a little piece of my integrity. I wouldn't say this has been a serious problem in my past, nothing more than the next person. Just a little exageration of how busy I have been when I don't get back to someone (which results in a over explanation) or saying that I "didn't receive the bill" when in fact I did, but lost it (back in my disorganized days). Those things aren't necessarily changing the course of the world but they do take a little piece of my peace so I say NO MORE.
I have been working on this for a few months now, when I see myself starting to go down that path I stop, turn around and tell it like it really is "I didn't make it to the post office for the past 3 weeks, but I will send your package tomorrow" or "I can't find the bill you sent, can you please send me another" or "I apologize for not getting back to you" - no over explanations.
Positives - I have an very nice sense of peace when I make the choice to tell the truth and not over explain, no matter how it reflects on me. The simplicity of it all just feels so light.
Drawbacks - Yes, I have seen a drawback to this practice and it is that I am becoming less tolorent of others making dishonest excuses. Yesterday I got annoyed with my house painter who didn't show up (and apparently wanted to not show up today either) when he tried to tell me it was because there was rain in the forecast both yesterday and today - at the exact moment I was looking at the forcast which shows full sun straight through to Sunday. Once I called him out on that, he came clean that the issue is that he has another client who is angry and wants them to get started so he has been over there this week. Had he just been honest in the first place I would have - well, I think I would have said fine, I understand, come on Friday. But when he started out trying to tell me something that was obviously untrue it was an insult to me and made me question his sincerity in other matters and therefore insist that he make progress today.
What I learn from the drawback - Well, if it annoyed me when the painter did it to me, I am happy not to be doing it to others!
So why is this post called "the sun will come out tomorrow". Because that is what my husband said to me last night when I was feeling mopey...and you know what, he was right, it has been a gorgeous day!
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