The Courage To Be Different

Introduction:

Welcome my friend,

Cheers to another weekend together!

The feel good emotion of hanging out here with you never gets old because each time is different, offering us the opportunity to discuss something new.

How are you doing?

I'd like to think that you're fine, since you're able to be here, and also do hope that you'd be even better by the end of our convo; having become better for it.

Today, we'd be looking to understand how to handle those situations where we're different from what's around us, for no fault of ours, such that we're now left to stand alone.

Indeed, this can be overwhelming at times, which is why our conversation will be in depth; addressing some of these situations.

Discussion:

To stand alone is to find ourselves in a situation where we're different from what's around us due to our opinion, beliefs, identity, origin and other such factors that can differentiate a person from others.

Other times, it comes as a choice, as in solitude, which is an intentional stepping back from the rest, to be alone.

Whichever one it is, being different can sometimes attract undue pressure on ourselves and from the people around us to fall in line.

Especially, when there's an accepted order of things such that we risk their rejection or other such consequences if we don't.

So how do we find the courage to remain firm in such circumstances and is it really worth it?

■ What Standing Alone Isn't 

To thrive off the reputation of being intentionally antagonistic of others like a rebel is not what it means to be different.

Some of us have assumed the character of “stubborness” so we continue to live as though to always prove this point, choosing to disagree or even escalate simple situations that common sense and emotional intelligence says ignore.

This is just prideful and arrogant.

To move around feeling better than everyone else and showing the same in our interactions with them, only inspires resentment and sometimes envy, leaving us with targets on our backs.

■ When We Have To Stand Alone 

To find ourselves in an environment or workplace where our beliefs or values are different from those around us can have us feeling alone.

This doesn't mean we have to change and become like everyone else.

Self expression is necessary for our happiness, confidence and growth and when we live authentically, we embrace the truth of our identity and beliefs without shame.

This is bold and courageous.

The responsibility of holding on to our convictions, principles, and behavior in a place where everyone else is doing something else isn't the easiest thing to do.

Let alone doing so in the face of ridicule, rejection, isolation and systematic mistreatment.

Yet we do so, taking our stand firmly, and choosing to do the right thing, not the convenient or self serving one.

■ How To Stand Alone 

Many times the challenge of standing alone is how to do so unproblematically.

We want to know how we can be ourselves without being judged for it or how to express our honest opinions without losing the goodwill of those on the other side of it.

We want to know how to exist in a degenerated system without compromising our values or how to turn down a request from a friend because it's against our beliefs, without hurting their feelings.

Truth is, most times we can't do both and real peace only comes from picking a side and sticking to it.

When we try to be on all sides we become on no side at all, tossed around according to where we find ourselves.

Realistically, it's difficult to stay in a corrupt system without being bullied into its corruption and most times the best thing to do is to ditch it.

This is because many times when we tell ourselves the lie that we can engage it to bring change from within, we usually just end up getting caught in it.

As believers we have to be wise enough to acknowledge that we're not suited for certain environments or workplaces because they're designed to run on the wheels of depravity, dishonesty and ingenuity.

We have to understand the dangers of proximity and the temptation that comes from exposing ourselves to places and people whose interactions lure us to the other side.

As his children, the basis of all our principles should be His word and the motivation for all our actions should be His purpose.

These are the only things that should matter to us and when we see it this way we'd no longer be concerned with fitting in; only wanting to be on His side.

■ What It Takes To Stand Alone 

It takes discipline to uphold virtues of integrity when everyone else is cashing in on their truth, offering it to the highest bidder.

However, this is made easier when we're not hungry or lacking basic needs, otherwise we'd be tempted with what we lack.

This is where hard work comes in.

To ditch a network means that we have to do the difficult work of building another one that runs independently of it - this takes effort, dedication and time.

Similarly, when we refuse shady deals and their huge gains, we should be intentional about not going back to folks who accepted them, to seek help or compensation, else we open ourselves to their judgmental opinions and mockery.

We should be content with what we have and where we are, gradually and steadily working our way up towards what we still want.

Most importantly, standing alone requires us to be humble, so that we're not affected by other people's opinions of us or manipulated into taking irrational actions to prove a point or show that we're still the part.

■ The Reward Of Standing Alone 

When we refuse to do what everyone else is doing we can expect that we're not going to have many friends on our side - this is still fine.

However, what happens is that overtime our consistent and reliable character begins to shine through endearingly, attracting the right people to us.

This is our tribe and as we begin to relate with them closely, it offers us the opportunity to influence them positively, bringing them on our side; God's side.

This is the essence of our creation.

To live a life of purpose is to stand firmly on God's will for our lives, being who he's created us to be.

This sees us drop our insatiable need to fit into the world for its approval to pick up the satisfying fulfillment that comes from following God's plan for our lives, and seeing it through.

This is how we make being on His side worth so much more.

Summary:

As believers we've picked a side and whether or not others have an issue with our beliefs is out of our hands.

When we refuse to conform to worldly standards, or turn down offers that excite them, we can expect to offend them with our guts and courage to have our own mind.

This is normal.

We should therefore resist the urge to return this same vile energy but instead continue to live in a way that eventually inspires them to change, drawing them to our side.

After all, we don't have to be different, when we can be like minds; a family of God's children, doing our best to do His will.

Master Apprentice.

www.x.com/truekingmaker