Stop Spinning Your Wheels!
Beyond Motorcycling
It seems the last few years have done more for division than diplomacy… Left vs Right, Dems vs GOP, Rich vs Poor, Migrants vs Citizens, etc., etc.
And, as we approach the holiday season, a time meant to spend with each other, enjoying ourselves and looking back at the year, I’ve heard more than a few people say they’re going to skip going to their family’s celebration or that party because they don’t like what that person had to say.
Because that person said something or believes in what someone else is doing, and you believe that by excluding those that say it, by shunning them and refusing to engage, you’ll prove your point and help to make the world a better place…
Bullshit!
“Oh but I’ve tried!! They won’t listen to me!! I’m tired of hearing their rhetoric!!” they’ll cry.
Sounds as if you’re doing the exact same thing they have: not listening.
For those of us that ride motorcycles, we know how the bike works:
The Left/Clutch Side: We pull in the clutch to disengage the transmission from the engine, then use the shift lever to change gears.
The Right/Brake Side: Yes, brakes, both front & rear to slow down & stop when we need to. And also the throttle to go, go, go!!
Try riding a bike using only one side… Can you??
And this is my point: BOTH sides have to work together in order to move forward!!
So this holiday season, when you hear someone saying something and/or praising someone/thing that you don’t like, remember to slow down, shift gears, and learn how to work together.
Start small by finding common ground. Pretty sure you both want the best and to be happy… right?
Then begin the conversation by asking questions like “What does that look like?” or “How would that work?”
Seek to understand, not to reply.
Stop Spinning Your Wheels!!
By taking a moment, remember not to judge, and possibly learn something you didn’t know, from both sides, we can begin to come together and move forward, down a road we created that’s going to a wonderful destination!!
