The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Proactivity
“if our lives are a function of conditioning and conditions, it is because we have, by conscious decision or by default, chosen to empower those things to control us.”
“Reactive people are also affected by their social environment, by the “social weather.” When people treat them well, they feel well; when people don’t, they become defensive or protective. Reactive people build their emotional lives around the behavior of others, empowering the weaknesses of other people to control them.” As Eleanor Roosevelt observed, “No one can hurt you without your consent.” In the words of Gandhi, “They cannot take away our self respect if we do not give it to them.” It is our willing permission, our consent to what happens to us, that hurts us far more than what happens to us in the first place.”
Give it a thoughtful consideration on the above. I realized a lot of my emotional freedom comes from these teachings that I have been following for many years. Just by remembering to not build your emotional life around others, not letting the weakness of other people to control and affect you. You get to choose. When you feel unfairly treated, when someone is unreasonable, remember this and think “it is their weakness, I choose to not let it affect me” gives a lot of freedom. And always remember it is not personal, repeat “their weakness”, can be their insecurities, their upbringing etc etc.
