Know Thyself

In this most recent episode of Exploracast, Ray Daughtery talked about some of the signs one might look for when considering risk for developing alcohol/drug abuse and addiction. Among many other things, he talked about response to using the substance and level of tolerance as two of the several important risk factors. Simply put, an initial positive response and a high tolerance level are strong warning signs of high risk. 

My question for this blog is whether or not we are willing to be honest about ourselves, especially when what we may need to consider are challenging choices that we really don't want to change. This question applies to things like warning signs of risk but also things like persistent unrest and conflict in our lives. Are we willing to consider that if we are in conflict/disagreement with several people in our world, that maybe the main source of the conflict might just be us. 

I, just like most people, really struggle with this. My views and opinions are based on what I actually believe or are the things that make me feel most comfortable. Either way, I sometimes struggle to realize that maybe the one who is off or over-reacting or in need of making a change is actually me. But where I try to come down finally is to remind myself that the people in my life are there because I love and trust them and I owe them the respect of considering their views on what I am doing or saying. 

Finally, I'll say that if you don't have people in your life who you count on to tell you the truth especially about the hard stuff, you need to change that. Living in an echo chamber may be fun and comforting, but when push comes to shove, fun and comfort are not always conducive to growth and health.