I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, And to the Republic for which it stands One Nation, under God, Indivisible with liberty and justice for all.
At Toastmasters we open our meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance. I also have it hanging in our lobby. I need the reminder. I do take my freedom for granted. I feel safe and every day I exercise my rights and obligations as a citizen. However, I feel that the news we are exposed to make extreme efforts to divide us, to point out the lack of liberty and the lack of justice. I know that news reporters are focused on selling news and controversy sells better than feel good news. But I struggle with amount of time and energy that is spent on opinions and emotion wrenching comments that encourage us to take sides.
I prefer the glass to be half full rather than half empty. So maybe I live in my own little world. Thinking about this I came up with 3 habits to make my world better.
Be slow to judge. I don’t have all the facts, or the full story or the life experiences of those involved.
Be kind. My mom would say “if you have nothing good to say, don’t say anything at all”. That includes being kind to myself. Stop the inner critic. It is easier to be kind to others if I am kind to myself.
Be authentic. I am human. I make mistakes. I work hard to admit them. I accept that sometimes I am afraid, angry or sad. I apologize when it affects them. This is challenging for me at work. I was taught never show that you are vulnerable. It just seems healthier to do it this way.
I am so grateful to live in the USA. I feel I have liberty and justice in my life. I hope you do as well.
Happy Independence Day!
Mary Guldan-Lindstrom, CPA
