Flip-Flops
As election season heats up, I’m bracing myself for the awful black-and-white thinking that is involved in the world of campaigns. In particular, the whole concept of “flip-flopping” which basically boils down to attacking someone for changing their mind on something. If that person felt or acted one way about something years ago, then it is considered inconsistent or even hypocritical for them to have a new perspective on things.
Sometimes, we can attack ourselves in a similar manner, because we fear being seen as inconsistent, or hypocritical in some way. Maybe we were vocal in our opinion of something, and worry that if we change our mind, someone is going to criticize us. Maybe we swore off something that turned out not to be the thing that was causing us problems in the first place. Perhaps we got into a nasty fight with a friend or family member and have held a grudge long since forgetting what the fight was about. Maybe we allowed someone to step on our toes for a long time, and feel self-conscious about finally standing up for ourselves, as if we “led them on” all this time.
In any of these cases, if we live in fear of “flip-flopping,” we may be losing out on some rich life experiences. What are we stubbornly doing just because of something we felt or stated in the past? What are we missing out on because of this? It may feel humbling or vulnerable, but we can let go of old, rigid beliefs and actions that no longer suit us. This clears the path for new, rich and dynamic ways of fully living our true lives.