How dare you call me a pig!!!!!!!

Photo by Christopher Carson on Unsplash

 

Being called a pig is not a good feeling. That’s an understatement.

 

Being called anything which is “untrue”: is simply too much. It can lead to all kinds of autopilot style reactions. I don’t need to go into the details. We all know it.

 

The thing is, if someone calls me a pig, I believe that it’s only fair to check it again. Just in case there is something in that “shocking” statement.

 

So if I find that I haven’t grown a tail since I last checked, I can safely say that the problem doesn’t lie with me, it lies with the person who calls me a pig.

 

The reason this is a difficulty many of us struggle with constantly is because it involves our ego. If it was another statement like : “1+1=17”, we would not be so personally affected. We simply decide whether the person who doesn’t get it is open to learning, or if it’s not appropriate, we just leave it as it is.

 

It’s not going to harm anyone if she still believes 1+1=17, unless she is your Finance Minister or airline pilot.

 

So the next time someone calls you a pig (or any millions of untrue statements), check if you have a tail and simply do what’s compassionate and generous to yourself and the other party. It’s not worth having an argument or losing your sense of humour or resorting to violence.

 

If you discover that the statement is true, then you can intentionally make a decision about how to respond.

 

That’s another story.