How do you know you’re playing the victim? When you blame someone else.
It seems so simple yet when we take this sentence and combine it with the fact that we alone have control over our emotions and reactions it’s a bitter pill to swallow.
People will do what they do, say what they say, and think what they think. It is not our job to judge or persuade them to think or be, one way or another. Encouraging people to see a different picture is very different from trying to change someone’s mind. One is a deliberate action inferring you must…the other is a suggestion you could… One empowers the other dictates.
The concept of ‘duty of care’ has come up a lot recently. It is something usually referred to in the health profession but do we not all have a duty of care simply because we are human beings?
Should we not all be looking out for each other (and looking after ourselves), by creating a physically, emotionally, and psychologically safe environment, wherever we are and for whoever is there?
How much is duty of care about just being a decent human? It is sad that we have had to go to the extent of labelling something as your ‘duty of care’ and then reinforcing it with policies and legislation because it isn’t a given in how we behave.
Some days I wake up and wonder what is wrong with people. Then I remind myself to look in the mirror and ask how can I improve in me.
Perhaps it’s about setting and respecting boundaries but also giving people the space to experience their own journey or create their own adventures.
Should we not be approaching all our relationships with compassion and a big dose of non judgement? Speaking of which, I read the following about relationships:
“The purpose of a relationship is to decide what part of yourself you’d like to see ‘show up’ not what part of another you can capture and hold”
In the romantic sense isn’t it better to have another share your ‘completeness’ than to believe that you are not complete without another? Aren’t relationships of any kind about encouraging another person to experience and grow into the best version of themselves, while feeling supported without judgement? Even if you are single, we are all in a relationship of some sort.
When I think about the multitude of issues that seem to not be working in the world it’s sometimes hard to know where to start. It’s not possible to fix it all or be everything to everyone.
So, we develop things like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights but then don’t follow it. We create Acts that prevent discrimination and then don’t abide by them. We produce legislation to protect people’s privacy and confidentiality and then break people’s trust.
As a writer, I take what I do seriously and have always held the belief that it comes with a responsibility. For me, this is to empower people, to educate, and wherever possible to inspire. And so when I read pieces that are dark, depressing, and full of ego and published in a place where sadness and despair live AND the responsibility is to uplift and support, I take it to heart feeling shocked and saddened.
Numerous mediums present the perfect platform for us to bring others down. These same mediums can also be used as a wonderful tool for empowerment. It is like a sharp knife in the hands of a talented chef vs in the hands of an unstable individual desperate for continual validation from external sources.
We all have reasons for acting how we act and responding the way we do, but I also believe we have a responsibility to continually work at improving ourselves, our environment, and the world around us. It’s amazing how many ways we can do this without even leaving our suburbs.
Have a beautiful week!
Much Love
Dalya xx 💙