A picture popped up in my news-feed today that threatened to put me in a shitty mood for the day. It was of two people from years ago posing all tough. We all know people like this, their click was hyper critical and mean.

I know myself and I know if I let myself go down that road, I will spend the day finding reasons to justify hating them and wishing negativity towards them. I could totally find legit reasons, after all they are mean to so many people and hurt so many women’s feelings for not being like them…but then I am just them.

Lack of self-awareness allows me to criticize others while sitting on my high horse. Never considering how my actions and words are leaving a path of destruction along the way. But when I sit down, think critically I find I ask myself how am I behaving poorly? My strong dislike for these people and their lack of self-awareness makes me acknowledge my desire to control others. To control how these people behave, to make them be nicer more open minded people. Why, though?

Why does it matter to me how others behave? I don’t know. I guess because I have compassion on this world and the animals and people on it. I want kindness from all people towards the earth and living things. I can’t control any of that though. I can barely control my own emotions.

The only idea that pops up is to ask myself, how am I behaving in critical, mean spirited ways? Are there places in my life I am exclusive towards others? Am I treating the earth and all living things with the kindness I desire from others?

Maybe that is where we find the peace we long for, is asking hard questions about our own behaviors…

Time to be brutally honest with ourselves and each other, let’s bring into light what is tucked away in the darkness.

Share your thoughts on your own self-awareness in the comments, it is quite therapeutic ;)…