Sunday, April 19, 2015

Black and White

This morning I am remembering a quote from one of my all-time favorite books, "If I defend myself, I am attacked." I am repeating this to myself in light of recent conversations with different sources and hearing the same complaints about my character. According to these sources,

I see the world in black and white. AND I am too independent.

I do see some things as black or white - right or wrong.
I would argue that the moment someone is calling me out on seeing a situation as black or white, they are seeing me in a black and white way - a right or wrong way.

I am too independent. True. Very true. I do not like being told what to do, how to do it and when.

It is that spirit of independence that has empowered me to do what I consider some of the greatest accomplishments in my life... to raise a child on my own and simultaneously become a 500 hour certified Yoga teacher. To climb at a high level because I chucked traditional living and lived in a car for multiple years to understand climbing. To become a traveling author and coach. I wrote articles and a book in the back of a Ford F-150.

Ironically, it is these very accomplishments these critics admire.

The moral of the story... exactly what people are annoyed by is also the characteristic they admire when it is seen in a different light. Never ever ever reject any part of yourself because you can be damn sure that at some point it served you well.

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