Growing up, my Father would follow up almost everything I said to or asked him with:
"Think before you speak."
Even now, I can hear his exact tone of voice saying that as if he is sitting right next to me. This, along with "cover your mouth with your elbow when you cough or sneeze" were two statements that were said to me more than anything else. Over and over again. And again. It was so drilled into my mind that it has come to the point where I hear him say it every time I am around someone who doesn't cover their mouth when they cough or sneeze or asks the dumbest question.
Does chocolate milk come from brown cows?
- Yes, I have been asked that. -
I wonder how this has changed me as a person. Do I have less patience to handle others stupidity or rudeness because they didn't think about what they were going to say before they said it? Does it inadvertently make me more cynical towards others? Do these small statements really have that much of an affect on my life?
A co-worker recently pointed out my disdain for the average human. I wonder where it came from and how bad it might be affecting my life. If it is impacting my life, I don't think it is negatively. It is normal to dislike teenagers, rude people and those who don't have a filter, right? Am I just more vocal about it than others? Is that really a bad thing?
I have always been a pretty straight forward and blunt person. To the point that my own sibling, who should be used to this, still thinks I am being too mean. When really, I am just tired of the way we walk around on egg shells. This could be the whole passive aggressive "Minnesota Nice" thing but I really think that as a species we are too soft. Now, this doesn't mean I go around being insensitive and hurtful. Or that I am unprofessional in the work place with a client or co-worker. But if I feel that the way you're acting towards an other person is inappropriate, then I will tell you. If I feel that you are not thinking about the the third side of the story, I will tell you. If I think you're being too caught up in la la land and not thinking logically about a scenario, I will tell you. It is who I am. I do this because I care. I want you to be happy, I want you to succeed, I want you to be fulfilled and I want you to be the best version of you as possible. My bluntness is out of love and respect for you and your life. Sometimes the hard things need to be said and I will say it. Is that wrong?