As a country, we’ve been experiencing so much decisiveness, sometimes it’s easy to forget that we are complicated human beings. We are more than our current opinion, relationship, job, appearance, attitude, and lifestyle. We have experienced many things and to simply label us as “this” or “that” is such an injustice to our complexity. We are a little bit of everything all mixed together, like a beautiful collage of ideas of experiences.
Just because we hold one specific opinion does not mean we partake in all ideologies associated with that topic, political party, section of the country, religious beliefs, or culture.
We can be a proud American and not agree with the current political scene; we can be an avid football fan but not like our team’s quarterback; we can be a healthy eater and still use botox; we can love people who hurt us; we can follow Jesus and use crystals; and we can agree to disagree. We are complicated, just as our lives are complicated.
The real beauty is that we can remember this when we start to judge and label someone based on one belief they hold. Let’s step back and recall our complexity. We can like people who are completely different than us by looking into their hearts and their intentions. We can remember that each person holds many facets and much complexity, and we can try to understand them and see things from their point of view.
Perhaps it’s time to mend some fences, let go of judgements, and all get along again. It’s all about stepping into empathy for others.
Do the Work! A November Worksheet. To shift into Empathy, ask yourself the following questions:
What beliefs do I have, where people may judge me for believing?
What beliefs do others hold, where I am intolerant?
What must I continue to remember about all humans, so that I don’t fall into judgement?
How can I better empathize with people who believe differently?
What will it take for me to mend relationships that have been torn by our different beliefs?
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