October 12, 2012

Lessons learned through the eyes of being a parent

Sometimes when I am faced with difficult people, I think, what would I tell my kid if the situation was his and he was asking for advice. I was visualizing my kiddo at school and having to deal with a kid who was being nonsensical or mean, and this is what I saw:
  • Can you remove yourself from the situation? That would be the easiest, but it is not always possible.
  • Can you accept the person/situation? There are difficult people and situations, but if you can accept them, you can look passed them.
  • Can you participate in an alternative way? Shift focus, make new friends, etc
  • Can you ignore the bad behavior? Buddha would say enemies exist to help us practice tolerance and become enlightened.
  • No matter what you do, stay aligned to your values. This is not a question; it's the most important piece of advice I could give. You do not have to become hard or sad when you experience difficult people or situations in life. You may need to detach from certain things; you may need to change your circumstances if you can, but you never have to give up your values -- what you love about life -- who you are.
It was enlightening to think through the eyes of being a parent. Thanks son!

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