One of the things I have been talking to my kids about is being the difference. This afternoon, as I was leaving out of the house to go for a walk, my daughter Christa says to me…
“Be sure to be the difference!”
I laughed and said I would, not seriously intending to do so. How am I going to be the difference when I’m out for a walk by myself?
And then something hit me.
As I walked it began to lightly drizzle. I started to wonder if I should continue to walk my regular two-miles or if I should just head home. I felt like, if I went home, I would be wimping out. I heard myself saying that I needed to “toughen up and be a man.” That’s when I realized…
Being the difference sometimes means being the difference to yourself.
My self-talk was pretty harsh. If someone had actually said that to me, I might be tempted to have a few choice words for them.
Instead of being all “macho” with myself, I decided on a different approach. I told myself that I was free to do whatever I wanted – no judgment…and I meant it. The result was that I took a different route and had a much different experience than my normal routine.
When I got back, I thanked my daughter for telling me to be the difference on my walk. I felt great, and it made for a great story!
It just goes to show, whether you are alone or in a crowd, you can always be the difference!
Have a great week!