Saturday, June 7, 2008

You Don’t Have To Have All The Answers.


Question! by -bast-

What a wonderful, freeing idea. As I sit here and struggle to come up with another interesting and inspiring idea, I rejoice in the thought that it’s okay if I don’t have the answers. No matter how intelligent or clever we are, we don’t need to know it all.

That insight gives us the freedom to loosen up and learn. Each blog post I type helps me put into words the things I have learned over the years. But some days I am lost and clueless. I can’t think of a single new idea or topic to share. Or so I think.

It seemed like a revelation to me that it is okay to not have a brilliant new angle on life to reveal. What a relief that I don’t have to anticipate and correctly answer every question. But how often is it that someone takes a chance and admits he or she doesn’t understand a topic or issue? No one wants to feel foolish or dim-witted.

Most of us try to avoid areas of conversation we don’t really understand. And sometimes that’s okay. But a few us may pretend to know more than we do, and we do a great disservice to ourselves. Let us not be afraid to say, “You know, I don’t much about that topic, can you tell me more?” Not only would we learn more, but it would give others a chance to shine as well.

Give yourself permission to acknowledge the things you don’t understand. No one else expects us to be experienced on all subjects and matters. It is only our own inner critic that feeds our ego and tells us we must comment on everything. We can learn more by giving others their chance to inform, enlighten, and participate. Let us no longer be afraid to be the student instead of the teacher.

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