Reasonableness

We all have our own thoughts, ideas, beliefs, attitudes, prejudices, and stereotypes that have been taught and learned as we have grown.  One of the tenets of growing into adulthood is keeping an open mind, educating yourself to the wonderful possibilities of life.

Life today has a way of dividing us, compartmentalizing us, and labeling us. Our society seems to want someone to be wrong and someone to be right, winners and losers. We often see things through our own limited perspectives and prisms, judging others to be misguided, stubborn, and just plain wrong. But is this really true and does it matter.

We all have choices to make with our time and energy. Many of us spend lifetimes arguing and fighting for a cause we believe is worthy. My thinking is to move away from judging people, my thinking and viewpoints have been shaped by my parents, education, environment, the books I've read, my friends, and experiences. Just like everyone else. When we move away from trying to judge and divide and move towards understanding, openness, and reasonableness we move forward we make progress as individuals and as a society.

This concept of reasonableness championed by the great Marcus Aurelius and many others has to do with understanding, trying to see the other person's viewpoint, and listening without judging. When common ground is elusive, we can simply part as friends. We can respect someone with another viewpoint that differs from our own. The truth has a way of coming out, of liberating, and like sunshine disinfecting.

When we give up judging ourselves and others, we open ourselves to new ideas and expansion. We become flexible and tolerant. When we become reasonable of ourselves and the actions of others we become soft, gentle, and easy. We are filled with a sense of calm, peacefulness, and grace.

And when this peace and grace wash over us life begins to open up to us like the budding flowers and trees in spring time. Time to shine

With Love,

Coach K
Tom Kaufmann
tkaufmanncoaching.com