©2009 Leslie Rinchen-Wongmo, Chenrezig. Hand-dyed cotton, silks and brocades, hand-pieced and machine-quilted, 43 x 31 inches.
From time to time I have a virtual run-in with a subscriber or customer who doesn’t wait for a response before shooting off spiteful emails. This has happened to me twice in the last month, whereas it usually happens once every year or two.
Whenever this happens, I question what I do and who I am. This is exactly what the author of the email wants and I know it.
I write this post for myself as much as for you. I intend to keep going. I intend to keep doing my personal work (it’s never done!) so that I live my best life and continue to attract good things and good people.
Trust
- That 99.9% of all people are good and kind.
It’s hard to ignore the .1% of people because they’re so loud and so negative. I keep my LOVED file to remind me of all the generous, loving people (the 99.9%) in my virtual world. - That even some of those 99.9% of people will go wrong at some point. They probably didn’t intend to step on your toes. Give them the opportunity to make it right.
- That something good will come from of a bad situation.
Understand
- You never know what is going on in someone else’s life. They may seem off the mark to you, but they could be dealing with enormous challenges. Don’t jump to conclusions. Don’t label them without first seeking to understand.
- When people are surly, mean, negative, and rude, it doesn’t have anything to do with you. It’s about them. Grown-ups seek dialogue and understanding and do not automatically assume that everyone is out to get them.
Give
- Tweet, +1, Like, and Share with abandon. In fact, you can do just that at the end of this post!
- Acknowledge others’ accomplishments on your Facebook page, on a stage, or anywhere else.
- Send Thank You notes daily to those who have been helpful, generous, and kind. In Art Biz Bootcamp we focus a lot on daily gratitude to help build and maintain relationships.
- Offer to help an artist in need.
Accept
- Accept gifts from others – be they compliments, time, knowledge, or actual physical objects. Turning them down or saying you don’t deserve them implies you don’t value the giver’s opinions.
Leave
- If a relationship isn’t serving you – whether it’s in real life or online – break it off gently. You don’t need to rant about why the person is awful. That just serves to make you feel superior. (See “Understand” above.)
How do you attract good karma?