How Do You Define Your Roles?

This came through in one of the many e-newsletters I subscribe to....most of them go unread but I caught this one and was glad I did!

"What concerns me is not the way things are, but rather the way people think things are." --Epicetus

When we are basically unconscious (not physically, but rather emotionally), we live according to social roles. We perform as sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, husbands and wives, employers and employees, as society expects us to. As we grow in awareness, we gain the freedom to bring our own unique perspectives to these roles. We can express ourselves authentically and creatively, without letting our roles dictate how we should behave. Awareness is the key to all change.

"Risk! Risk anything! Care no more for the opinion of others, for those voices. Do the hardest thing on earth for you. Act for yourself. Face the truth." -- Katherine Mansfield.

Now for my comments....

Unfortunately, perception is so often reality..... The final quote struck me -- the word "risk" repeated made me think of my job. I hear the word "risk" a hundred times every gosh darn day because risk management is what I do. The irony is, as I examine myself more closely these days, risk management is what I have always done, PrideStaff or no PrideStaff -- that's been MY role play. Do the safe thing, the thing that's expected of you, the thing that won't disappoint others. Play the roles that have been written for you without questioning them. Be the me that everyone thinks I am. Manage risk (conflict, failure, etc.). I am learning that this is also a means of "stuffing" (I have been full of it! Ha!!) and has led to somewhat of an identity crisis. On the personal side of things, I guess I need to change how I view the word "risk;" risk as daring and adventuring and trying new things..... not risk as in unsafe, proceed with caution, follow everyone else's rules.

So I am working on changing this..... thanks to new levels of awareness!