Leading Role? or Bit Part?
If you like drama, it’s a great time to be alive. Opinions are freely shared--asked for or not. Things once unspoken are now spoken. Divisiveness is real and, as we are seeing, what works for the marketplace does not always work for the soul.
Drama can be exhausting and too much of it forces us to create boundaries. Let me define what I mean by drama: I mean "a moment of stress and/or anxiety that you find yourself in, that you know has the possibility of leading to more stress or anxiety, immediately or in the not too distant future, and usually involves another human being or more than one." For example, drama can be: • kid-related • election-related • work-related • traffic-related • mother-in-law related • sibling-related • church-related • friend-related • meeting-related • volunteer-related • work-related • neighbor-related • broken-appliance related • text-related • anything that causes your temperature to start to rise... And not only is negotiating boundaries mentally challenging & tiring but boundaries can lead to isolation. However, we need to be out & about for human interaction, community, and mental health. How do we strike a balance? This month I offer a quick & simple reframing thought to try when faced with a drama, or dramatic moment. 1.) Ask yourself: “Do I play a leading role in this drama or... a bit part?” 2.) Then stop & THINK (...you probably are a bit part...) 3.) Then ACT accordingly (i.e Look for/to the director & move on...)
There’s no need to elevate yourself to a leading role when you just need to play a bit part.
Or, if I've lost you, consider this—what is your leading role? Or leading roles? Who are you in the drama or dramas you face? Cast yourself in leading roles that are meaningful... or just play a bit part.
And... please, if this works for you, let me know if you like your new role!