The Sky Looks Green…

A few years ago, one of my wisest friends, Himnit (known on social media by the name of Misstickled) had shared with me a pictorial message. It went something like –

“If someone tells me the sky looks green, I do not oppose or counter them. I do not need to agree with them either. I need not show them the “proof” that I’m right. I say to myself that to some people, the sky looks green. It keeps external conflicts from disturbing my inner peace. Isn’t that where world peace begins? With each of us being peaceful?“

Years and countless arguments later, I have come to understand this incredible life saving and enhancing skill. I label it as the practice of defencelessness. It means that I do not oppose the current of life. I do not go against the present moment.

It works not just with people but also life situations. Accepting things as they are is not a weakness as one may assume it to be. Instead, it is intelligent action. Why? Because unless you accept a situation as it is, you cannot do much about it, can you?

Navigating Your Way Through Myriads of Opinions

We live in a politically charged environment – especially if you live in metros where it’s fashionable to have opinions even about things we do not fully understand. There is a reason for that as well. We feel the need belong. It’s how we’ve evolved and survived as a species. So, nothing wrong, frankly.

The problem arises when opinions become commandments, and an opposite view to our own becomes intolerable. In such times, remembering the little message I share in the first paragraph of this article becomes exceptionally relevant.

All of us want to belong and also be right. Sadly, sometimes we are so obsessed with being right that it can come at dismantling and crumbling another person’s thoughts. I came across a fantastic quote today, which I shared on my business page.

” Be kind first, be right later.”

Let’s Agree to Disagree

I am guilty of being a part of and promoting many such righteous ideas in the past. Though, as I focus less on the body and more on the spirit, the less attracted I get to drama, conflicts and the need to be right.

Hey, it’s okay if you have an opinion that counters my belief.

Why?

Because you are a unique individual whose thoughts, your environment and situations have shaped ideas and life view. I have had my situations to develop my world view. Being rigid is only a sign of death; Death of growth and indeed life.

I still hold the desire to prove a point, to be right. But, I am actively trying to choose kindness over proving someone wrong. Facts do not shift someone’s viewpoint though your friendship and kindness might make them see your perspective as well.

I hope that if someone (it can also be you) now tries to get into an argument about an opinion, you may remember: to some people, the sky looks green.

Thank you for reading my inaugural blog post on my new website. If you liked it, I’d be extremely grateful if you share this piece with the people you love.

Please do let me know if I was able to add value to your investment of time and any suggestion, comment, feedback is gratefully welcome.

21 thoughts on “The Sky Looks Green…”

  1. islejazz

    Till now I used to not argue with people with the idea that no matter what I can’t change their opinion, so I used to just listen to them without any reaction. Last time I tried to sanely explain my opinion, I ended up distancing from them.

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  3. Ish Gupta

    That’s a nice mesasage to remember to be defenseless.. because, most of the conflicta arise only when we try to be right.
    As you mentioned, everyone’s opinion is a reflection of the individual’s conditioning..
    It doesn’t matter to be right, but being Kind will.always make it count..

    Thank you for sharing this reminder, and now I hope, this might stay in my mind to be okay with not being right..

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    1. Kushagra Singh

      I am so happy you got the gist of it, Prabhu. I feel content because being defenceless about our or another’s opinion is what matters if we are to have a healthy frame of mind. Thank you so much for reading it and sharing your thoughts as well.

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  4. Vaishali

    Very beautifully explained and more passionately understood. Thanks for the piece. Something new I learned today πŸ™‚

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  5. Neha

    I really needed this tonight. Your writing is so impactful! It makes you think, which is very rare as most of the writer’s use such complex ways of putting out their thoughts that somewhere down the line it gets hard to understand what they are trying to convey! Your writing is truly easy and breezy! More power to bringing out such thoughts into the universe that might help even just one of us! ✨✨

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    1. Kushagra Singh

      This comment means so much to me, Neha. I am consciously focussing upon ensuring that my content is easily understood. Thank you for reading this and sharing your gracious comment.

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  8. Radhika Shastri

    Very nice message.
    Being defenceless will solve many problems and helps to be at Peace.
    After reading this post , it reminds me of a beautiful Quote β€œ A wise man once said nothing”
    PEACE!πŸ™πŸ»πŸ˜Š

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    1. Kushagra Singh

      Haha, you seem like a lady well versed with wisdom. I love the quote you’ve shared, thanks for that. Additionally grateful that you could read and find the post relevant. Looking forward to sharing more now.

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  9. Sheetal Sawhney

    Thank you for putting down such an apt understanding and experience of the most precious element required for a peaceful life. I will save this article in my favourites so that I can read it every now and then. Keep writing and keep sharing your thoughts πŸ™‚

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    1. Kushagra Singh

      I am so happy to have served you with this. I like the idea of going back to something that has made a lot of sense as studies suggest that we tend to forget most of what we read in a 48 hours. Always good to revisit. Thank you for making me feel that I could produce something worth your time.

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  10. Prashant

    Hi Kushagra Bhai,
    You are very right. I had realized it also. I knew being silent is the best I could do. There is no point in arguing with anybody. I should let them be with their opinions. I can’t change anyone’s ideology within few minutes.
    Let me borrow the following lines of an author:
    Darshan of the other enables us to acknowledge and accept their inadequacies. A wise man never argues when a less learned man argues with him. He knows when to expand and when to contract, when to give and when to receive. Darshan of the limited other enables the self to gain insight into the human condition and further expand the mind.
    It’s very apt to promote such thoughts. Thanks for sharing the kind words.

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