In life, we’ve all been on the receiving end of opinions from others. Back in the mid-80s, when splitting up with a work partner who was far more experienced than I and double my age, he asked me: “Do you realize you’re corporately unemployable?” I remember being floored by his assessment and I felt quite defensive as I asked him, “What the heck did that mean?”  Basically he said, “You see things differently and its always going to be that way for you. It won’t be an easy road, but I predict you’ll always need to figure out how to do, whatever you want to do, your own way. I don’t see you taking much direction…now or ever.”

At the time, I though he just served up the biggest insult I’d ever been on the receiving end of. Over time, I realized if I could just shelve my ego, he actually gave me some of the best work and life advice I’d ever gotten. And, if I was really honest with myself, which is an important thing to always be, it wasn’t the first time I had heard this same sentiment.

The point today is, throughout life, people will share their opinions about us, our capabilities, our talents and what they think we should be doing. It’s helpful to not listen defensively. Or at least calmly reassess the feedback once we take a deep breath. We might just be getting another’s opinion…but we also might be getting excellent life changing advice. Only we individually can decide.

In retrospect, maybe that day a seed was planted…which needed three decades to gestate… to ultimately became the roots of Silver Disobedience! 

What’s growing in you?!

I’m @DianGriesel aka @SilverDisobedience — the author of The Silver Disobedience Playbook and TurboCharged: The SilverDisobedience Edition (available at amazon!) ✨ I’m a Perception Analyst who shares my Daily Meditations for other Ageless, Passionate & Curious People.  Modeling info at Wilhelmina Models New York —other info in my bio & on my websites.