34. What you tolerate you encourage
When I read this somewhere, my eyes grew wide like the emoji. I noted it down. And ever since I have acknowledged my part in it, I can see how it has affected my life in some ways.
It also hit me, that it can be applied to so many spheres relevant to our time today. Like :
- Sexism — There are times in our life when someone will crack a blatantly sexist joke or comment that will make us squirm in our seats. What do we do?
- Violence — Some of us might be in a situation where someone we know/love/trust might erupt in an unforeseen violent manner. How do we handle it? Do we rationalize it or do we bolt?
- Homophobia — Someone we are totally pally with might have a very warped view about sexuality and people’s preferences under the sheets.
Do we stand up for their right to choose their sexuality?
4. Bigotry → Terror in the name of ideology
What starts out as a harmless way of identifying a group of people who follow a particular belief system, soon becomes an entrenched divide in our heads. Do we let these walls build or consciously break them down every time they gather momentum? A does not equal B. They are a subset of C. C equals PEOPLE.
5. Racism — Some of us will face this, some of us will perpetrate it. Some of us will be both, the victims and the perpetrator. Who do we stick up for then?
6. Guns — no words.
7. Pollution — are we ok with trashing our planet because we are unaware of how it could impact us ?
8. Being Mistreated in any way / Condoning mistreatment of any kind
I think that is the crux of it. Allowing ourselves to be mistreated or disregarded. And then returning the favor.
Do you see, how much of a part we get to play in how life as we know it turns out? It’s more than what we think.
For every time we tolerate, we let it become a little bigger and a little meaner. For every time we tolerate, someone somewhere is being pushed to a corner. That someone sometimes is us.
What if you had the courage to only do the work you love?
How much happier would you be? What separates the people who have the courage and those who don’t? Vulnerability. Accepting that they’re good enough to do the work that gives their life meaning.
1percentbraver.com is a community of people all ready to accept that they’re good enough. They get access to an online magazine that tackles problems like maintaining peak personal performance and how to promote yourself. They also get access to a recorded interview with a person of influence who’s used their vulnerability to empower instead of weaken themselves.
Next edition launches July 28th. Click here to apply to join the Braver Shortlist and tell me what work gives your life meaning. If you’re a good fit, you will have a spot saved for when the community re-opens.
