One thing that existed long before Covid, but seems to be exaggerated during this time is all. of. the. opinions! So many opinions. Have you been hearing/reading/bombarded-by them too?
Lately, I've noticed a new volume and intensity of opinions emerging, as it pertains to the pandemic and life as we cautiously limp back into some semblance of whatever the future looks like.
Whether you remain mostly isolated or are attempting to reintegrate into a normal-ish routine or somewhere in the middle, I can bet money you've encountered loud opinions that disagree with your choices.
So that leaves us with some great training ground to remember some solid truths, and continue to practice how to alleviate the pressure that chatter may be placing on your sweet heart and brain.
People are ALWAYS going to have opinions. And with supercharged situations like the one we find ourselves in, when wellbeing, lifestyle and livelihoods are at stake, the volume goes WAY up.
You can STILL ignore their opinions and I’m going to remind you how and why.
First, let us dwell on this little nugget from Yung Pueblo because it is solid gold:
"It is easier to let go of someone’s opinion when you understand that people see you through a combination of their past conditioning plus their current emotion. Without realizing it, they see themselves first and through that lens, they get an unclear picture of you."
Ahhhhhh. deep breath. Isn’t that just the sweetest thing to read?
So, let's refresh. You’re confronted (either on social media, the news, within your group of family or friends - directly or indirectly) by someone’s strong opinion on how we all should be proceeding in this Covid-among-us world.
ASK YOURSELF:
Can you control the past conditioning they've experienced, that is the culmination of who they are in this moment?
NO.
Can you control their current emotion?
NO.
So, we have now reminded ourselves that their loud opinion is flowing from things we have NO Control over.
So what do we do?
IGNORE IT.
You can’t control what led them to this moment or how they are feeling with whats going on. And they have a right to feel exactly as they do. Is it annoying that they may be shouting about it? Sure. But here’s the deal: your vibration is way too important to get mucked up in that mud.
So ignore the shouting and go inward. Ask yourself, 'what feels right for me and my family?' 'How do we feel about life right now and how do we want to proceed'. 'What feels safest, healthiest and most life-giving to us?'.
The only lens that matters is the one you are viewing life through.
We live with the reasons for our decisions. Deeply and truly, every thought, feeling, action and result we create is from the vibration we manage within ourselves. Messing that vibration up by caring about the things other people say because of reasons we can’t control - well, that is the very essence of disempowered.
Empowerment lies in recognizing how futile it is to care about controlling those opinions, made up of countless variables and instead, choosing to ignore noise that doesn’t serve you while you skipping happily along the path you consciously choose.
I’ll leave you with wise words from one of my favourites, Epictetus:
Let's be people who turn down the volume on the noise outside ourselves and choose to look within instead. You and your family decide how you move forward in this season, and you alone. Be your own witness, love the reasons for your choices, and take on this Covid-world in your unique way. I promise you, its the 'right' way.
