I have made some really dumb statements in my life. I mean some really, really narrow minded black and white statements. One of the doosies I used for a long time was about how my world was really small. I really said that. I meant it, too. Not only did I say it and mean it, I made it happen.
The premise of this statement was to live in principle. What I would tell myself is that as a result of standing by my principles that my path would become very narrow and my world would become small. The reality is that I allowed myself to live in more fear and to justify some very limiting beliefs.
I am a man of principle. I am very committed to the way I live. However, my life contains many layers. With these layers come a wonderful diversity in relationships. I no longer choose to limit myself under the rationalization of ” living in principle.” I realize today that not only do other people have different opinions, but that based on their definition of happiness, they are right!
In other words, it is cool that I have formed perceptions of life based on my experiences. I also know that other people can benefit from what I have learned based on these experiences. A part of my maturation process is realizing that I can benefit from the experience of others. This sounds so overly simple but it is very important to recognize the importance of building and maintaining diverse relationships in order to enhance the richness of life. If I limit myself to only spending time with people who share my opinions, I will never give myself the opportunity to widen my perspective. I don’t want to live that way. What do you think?