Stay in Your Lane, Be Kind, and Do You…

I make a lot of mistakes, and I bet you do too. During this crazy time we are living in, it’s important to really look at the big picture before you take a stand, especially online - because isn’t that just so easy? We have all been restricted in one way or another (yes, even those who aren’t abiding by the rules), so is it really fair to jump to conclusions? No. The world deserves better than your knee-jerk reaction.

That lady with her three kids at the grocery store might be a single mom doing the best she can by not bringing in an outsider to watch them while she shops. That guy not wearing a mask might have a health condition that you wouldn’t know about. Conversely, that guy wearing a mask could be immunocompromised. That self-employed (fill in the blank with hundreds) may not have received anything during all of this, and they are just trying to survive. Yes, even that business trying to wiggle into the new ease of restrictions, just might be on their last leg. Maybe some of them are blatantly violating what is set in place because they feel their rights are stripped, or maybe they are legitimately scared of the current situation.

The point is no matter what side you are on, you can’t possibly know everyone’s story, and it’s apparently becoming increasingly easier to judge - we are all fighting our own battles, world pandemic aside.

If you find yourself ready to fire, ask yourself these things: Does this directly affect me? Will my comment really make a difference? Will this matter a year from now? If you answer no to these questions, Stay in Your Lane. If you answer yes, and feel it necessary to provide your input, Be Kind.

So, what is Do You? No, not the narcissistic version of do whatever you want regardless of the effect on others. Do what you feel in your heart is right. Dig deep for that moral compass and make the best decisions you can right now, because that is the best any of us can do.