
Let me share a little tale with you.
This afternoon I offered to help out a friend and pick up her son’s from school. Off me and her youngest went to go get the older one from school. I was only about 2 mins from her house when I passed a police officer but we continued on singing and enjoying the drive.
About two minutes later I saw lights flashing in my rearview mirror and tried to give the officer room to pass but he remained behind me. I was confused. Why I was being pulled over? But over I went.
Let me preface this with the fact that it has been over 10 years since I was pulled over for any violation so I was shaken. Plus, I was not driving my vehicle and had another person’s kiddo in the car with me.
The police officer proceeded to my window and told me he had caught me speeding. I was truly confused when he shared the speed he proclaimed that I had been driving. It was way higher than any speed I drive on that road even in a hurry.
We went through the license and then the ticketing process and I sat there confused. Yet, my good girl was not going to fight with the police.
Honestly, my good girl kicked in to the point of not even speaking up at all for myself and simply fell into “yes, sir” & “no, sir”.
I eventually got back to my friends home and shared with her what had happened and as I shared I became upset with myself.
I had simply went with what this police officer proclaimed was my speed despite the knowledge that it was simply impossible for her SUV to get up to that speed within moments of being at a complete and utter stop. I didn’t question the officer about the fact that there was massive amounts of traffic as it was about to be time for people to be getting their kids from school. Meaning that it would have been impossible for me to be going that fast in traffic.
I just said… “Yes, sir”, “No, sir” and didn’t even inquire.
Now I’m not saying that one should fight with a police officer. There are multiple reasons that getting into a battle with a police officer is not in one’s best interest.
Though, my gut reaction was to not even inquire further.
It was to take 100% another person’s statement of my behavior… even if I knew in my core that this statement was wrong. A simple inquiry and even greater depth of share with the officer would have been totally acceptable in order to better understand the circumstances that he believed to be true.
My meanderings since this little incident today was all the places in which we cave to others and especially to those that we see in a space of authority or “above us” in some way.
Like many, I was raised to be a “good sweet girl” and so often did not speak my mind. Even in my adulthood when I have moved past much of my earlier programming I will still from time to time fall back into this old pattern.
It is often in our society and in our personal lives in general that we put people on pedestals. We raise them up and think that their voice and opinions matter more than our own. We think that their perceptions are more accurate.
We are told that for this B.S. reason or that B.S. reason that they are more important.
And most of where this happens in our own heads.
Yes, we aren’t really talking police officers here…
No!
Where do you look at your boss, your mentor, your parents, your family, your friends….
And put them above you.
Do you ever think that your kid is more important than you?
Why?
Who said?
Why is it more important for them to get those new jeans while you walk around in 10yr old torn up jeans?
Do you ever look at a boss or mentor and think that their perceptions of you are more accurate or that they simply deserve more?
They see you as (blank) and so it simply is so… or they have done (blank) so they obviously have paid their dues!
Why?
Who said?
As a society, we do this with our fashions.. legal system… political system…etc.
We are taught from the time we are born to put others above us. That THESE PEOPLE deserve more … respect, wealth, care, concern, etc.
This is one thing when it is simply the occasional time you get pulled over for speeding or ever once in a while where you have to deal with the big boss at work
BUT
We give authority to people, places, and situations in our own minds daily.
In truth, we are even giving different authority to the thoughts in our heads each and every day.
So many choose to focus in on the negative authority voices in our heads and not in the positive voices.
We choose to tune into some thoughts, actions, and behaviors while diminishing the authority of others.
Who, what, and where we choose to give authority is, in the end, our CHOICE.
This is not to say that we need to be in a constant state of rebellion against everything in our lives
But it is vital to look into where you are placing others above you and also where past programs are feeding into these programs.
Just like me today with the police officer…
Where are you simply going into “yes, sir/no, sir” mode?
Just some things to contemplate as you move through the remainder of the day.
What thoughts are you placing on a pedestal?
Who are you putting above yourself?
Where are you simply buying others perceptions of you?
Where are you handing your power over?
From one good girl gone bad…
Sending you
Love, Light, & Blessings,
Addison
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