What to do when others rattle your cage?

Have you ever felt pretty centered only to be rattled by other people?

It’s been some time since my last post .... that is because i have been busily PRACTICING the laws of Self Mastery.  As I have said many times..... all is good in theory yet it is putting this theory into practice that is the real test.

The last few weeks has seen me interacting with a lot more people in the various roles that have found me. In these roles i have met amazing people, boring people, interesting people and rude people. I have come into contact with bullies, victims, leaders and whinges. Each interaction has left me questioning myself, my beliefs and my identity.

All this leaves me with the question..... how can we maintain our centre without letting other people rattle it?

I’m not sure I have an exact answer, however what I can say is that it is very easy to get caught up in other people’s stuff without even realising it. It took me a few weeks but I can honestly say that after buying into the drama, the blame, the hurt and the frustration. I have come out the other side realising that it is much easier to stay in your own skin.

You see, in these various roles with other people, I have been “trying” to build rapport by listening, sensing, mirroring and matching. While building rapport is useful, I think I took it too far and lost myself in the process. I forgot to include me in the equation, sensing me, thinking about my needs and trusting myself.

So, instead of thinking about pleasing others, meeting their expectations and wondering what they are thinking, I realised that while listening and meeting their needs were important, it was also important  to stay in my own skin, my own thoughts and my own feelings.

In fact, I heard a good story the other day of a man who would fish in the same spot every day hoping to catch a fish. The man would bait the line, through it in and hope for a bite, each day, the same spot and the same thing.  The fish looked on knowing they were in control just watching the bait go by until eventually, one of the fish took the bait and the main started reeling in the line. The main thought to himself, who is in control now?

For the last few weeks, i too have been taking the bait that others have set by reacting, getting upset and feeling frustrated. The moment I stopped taking the bait and started trusting myself is the moment I became free to swim in any direction I chose. I still listen intently, however i am more aware of watching where the bait is coming from.

Now when I meet a new person, I set my intention by being open, trusting myself and listening to my needs. Once this is done, I then enter the interaction with an open mind and open heart, listening, meeting, matching and building rapport. It is in this place that I am beginning to find my inner peace, put less pressure on myself and in return, get better results.

My question for you is...... who is baiting you? ..... and stop taking the bait.

With love and light

Daniela