I used to be an individual that really stressed and worried about my beliefs. I would take into consideration how people would react, what would they say, talk about afterwards, etc. It was an endless maddening rollercoaster ride I hated to go on but always seemed to get back in line for.
I refer to the Ego in many situations when it comes to emotion, hightened stress, etc. When we are lost in emotion (good or bad), our Ego likes to take control and make us do things we normally wounldn't do. Think of the last time you lost your cool on someone and "ripped them a new one". After the fact, when calmed down, you might have thought/said things like, "Wow, I don't know what came over me", or "That wasn't me! I'm so sorry!", etc.
Our Ego is our emotional self that always wants to be right. It's all about me, it's about my gain, my success, etc. It doesn't want to face the fact that it will not be right all the time and that drives the Ego bonkers.
When worried about beliefs and we go into these oratorios of how we will say and do the right thing, thinking about how people will react and if they react incorrectly (by our standards) how we will counter, etc, etc, etc,....
Ugh - it makes me tired just thinking about it!
Take a moment, relax. Take a breath.
If you have beliefs and they feel true and loving to you and others, keep them. They make you feel innately and spiritually good, so keep them for yourself so you can make sense of this world and how you move through it. We tkae it upon ourselves to prepare our responses to "So, what do you do?" so we can have a list of labels, beliefs, etc to move the conversation along.
Now, I could care less if people disagree with me and my beliefs about myself and the world. I actually enjoy debating and discussing issues on uncommon ground; I learn something new. A new perspective, look, angle, way to view what I commonly look at.
Take it upon yourself today to let go of labels, let go of how others will react to you and what you believe is true to you, and enjoy today. Enjoy this very moment; take a breath and breathe in the life that has been given to you to enjoy.
....or endlessly worry about things that will never come to pass, stresses that sap your energy, get bogged down by that one person who always "rubs you the wrong way", etc.
Funny thing is that either option is your choice :) Choose well.
~Brandon~