Choosing Battles and Honey

Have you ever noticed changes in yourself? Well recently I have noticed a few changes of my own. Being a fairly, stubborn and usually very strong-willed person, I don't let things go to easily in a fight when I know I'm on the right side of the chalk line. Or worse when I have to do something that is simply for your own piece of mind that others may not agree with. But lately, the Keeta has discovered a simpler way of getting her way. Don't get me wrong if you need to stand your ground with something, don't back down. Worse if it is something very important. However, I have learnt the value of not always trying to explain something to persons who are dogmatic at best, obdurate at worst. And more importantly the value of honey. The honey I speak of is not nature's confection, but the figurative one.

Kimora Lee Simmons, in her book "Fabulosity", passed on some very valuable information to yours truly- 'You catch more flies with honey than vinegar". Sounds simple right? Well not to me at first and I'll tell you why. I've heard that before but when I heard it from her, someone who is assertive, strong and unapologetic for it, I decided to believe. And I have learnt the reasoning that goes with it. The last two weeks, I have been in situations where persons whom I have had interactions with whether work-related or otherwise have said things or held points-of-view that I haven't agreed with. So I took a minute, assessed whether or not to argue and 9 times out of 10 realised that it really wasn't worth it. On top of that, dropped in a smile and 9 times out of 10 I got my way anyway. Go figure.

Moral of the story is, the sticky sweetness almost always works better. So be sweet to yourself and choose your battles ;)