By Anntionet: Embracing acceptance of personal individuality can be a challenging yet particularly rewarding undertaking. In many instances, it might be much easier to gravitate away from what does not remind a person of themselves than to face the difficulty of differences between people. Some may say that it is only natural to prefer to surround ourselves with an environment that acts as an extension of oneself, and others might mention the importance of doing so. But allowing ourselves to, and perhaps even embracing the ability to, step out of the comfort zones that we maintain may help in accepting the differences that each of us uniquely holds.
Differences are not always negative or challenging and are available to be appreciated in one another. Comfort zones are important, but if they are used as impenetrable boundaries then how are we to gain understanding? How are we to learn more about ourselves?
Regarding being in acceptance of each other’s differences, I do not imply this to be a state of confrontation, but more like allowing the understanding that there is a distinguishable difference between yourself and another. Recognizing and focusing on where the energies between two people connect, instead of focusing on where they do not connect could assist with this understanding as well. Easier said than done, right? Accomplishing and maintaining a positive connection through our differences may take a certain amount of open-mindedness, knowledge of self, focus and overall practice. Embracing a mindset of acceptance can be much more difficult than the ease of simply dismissing or rejecting those who have different beliefs and ideologies, but that intentional embrace can contain a great amount of importance. To be clear, I am not referring to intentionally putting oneself into positions to only be around people whom one may have differences with. Sometimes interacting with differing people may lead to intentionally using differences between you and them as a means to an end; like hoping to find a reason to be negative towards each other. Recognize a bully as a bully, yet at the same time why not use that recognition as an opportunity to not become a bully yourself? Again, easier said than done but so very worth the effort.
Shadow work can help with knowing more about ourselves, and to recognize points of differences between one another. Understanding more about one’s own unique spiritual nature can help with maintaining one’s focus on that knowledge of self during instances of confrontation, so as to not get too caught up in any negative energy that may leak out. Maintaining open-mindedness towards other points of view while remaining anchored in one’s own takes practice, and occasional flexibility to allow understanding that one’s own perspective may sometimes shift upon learning or understanding something that may not have been understood previously. If the opportunity for re-understanding is met with a closed-mind instead of an open-mind, significant opportunities for personal advancements could be missed. Having and keeping an open mind to accepting differences does not suggest changing your point of view to appease the difference, but more like incorporating the difference into it.
One may even find that accepting differences can re-enforce perspectives and personal positions. We are all individuals, but at least the choice to be open to somebody else’s “whys” could help us learn more about why we are choosing to remain in a specific belief or position on something. Or, why we may choose to shift instead. People often grow and change over time through experiences, trials-and-errors and through the development of relationships; this is especially so when our differences are accepted.
Love and Light,
Anntionet
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