Awakening Your Inner Hero: I AM RIGHT

Synopsis

There is a ton of “I am right, you are not” energy going on in our world these days. Sometimes it may be necessary. Most times there are more peaceful and respectful ways to hold different opinions. Agreeing and/or being right is not as important as peace. It is hard work worthy of our dedicated efforts.

This is the world we live in. Not our entire world, thankfully, but this right-wrong, good-bad way of thinking and being needs our close attention. How much of it do we see around us? More importantly, how much does each of us participate in this ageless, human-distancing, ego-inflating pattern?

I AM RIGHT—YOU ARE NOT!
We disagree.

We argue.

We get defensive and stubborn.

We withdraw or get loud.

Disrespect and distance may follow.

Antagonistic and even violent behavior can find its way into the landscape.

We are, fortunately and unfortunately, human beings. The fortunate part is often less obvious because we are programed to focus on the not-right rather than the amazing and the wonderful.

Humans are amazing! We make music. We build Eiffel Towers and Empire State Buildings. We replace broken-down hearts with new ones. And we have heart-warming charities and donors who help those who can’t afford new hearts go back to their families, their work and continue living. We fly to the moon and beyond. We solve huge and small problems all day long!

Humans are amazing and my list is a tiny few of the infinite examples of what we cool human beings do daily.

Make your own list. Stun yourself with what you are part of, our infinitely creative human race. This is our tribe but unfortunately, getting along peacefully has been one of our less evolved areas of development.

And there also has been significant progress in this area, for sure. And you can disagree.

I’ve been writing these Inner Heroes articles, speaking to groups of all kinds, counseling folks daily and working on my own personal issues for over fifty years, for only one reason. I couldn’t always articulate this reason, but the passing of time and the aging process have helped clarify why I’ve done what I do.

And more importantly, why WE all do what we do. Many more successful than others.

Why are we here?

What is our most important job?

Do we even matter?

Again, you may disagree with me. This is the reality of being human. We each see the world through our own lens. Seeing things differently from each other is as normal as the sun rising in the morning and setting in the evening.

Why are you and I here?

TO MAKE OUR PART OF THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE.

What does that mean? Essentially human evolution is beyond Darwin and science. It also includes our creativity, courage, higher choices, love and steady discipline. We aren’t the only drivers of this ship, but we have a key role.

Here are few ideas and I am open to yours. If you disagree, I want to hear from you. Who is right? Does one of us have to be right and the other wrong? Absolutely not! The world is not only black or white — it’s way more complex.

1. Begin with where we live. This could be our home or a variety of other situations. Keep it clean. Such a space is both a reminder and a practice to clean/up daily. Make some healthy food choices. A good life is all about our deliberate daily choices.

2. In your workplace. Work hard. Be on time. Keep learning new things and help others regularly. Do your best to make it fun for you and your mates.

3. Every single place you go, in this world and beyond. Remember, we are all different and disrespect is both toxic and contagious. Agreeing is not a requirement. Respect is. Make kindness and respect your standards. Practice. Practice. Practice. Kindness and respect often do not come naturally. Do them anyway. If you have children, they will learn this impactful pathway and pass it on. If you are the child, you can have a huge impact on the adults in your life. If you live with non-family members, all the same guidelines apply. And be deeply and openly thankful, wherever you are!

We don’t need to be right in order to make our world a better place.

A better world doesn’t happen overnight and is not a linear process. But it is happening right now.

Trust me.

Blessing on our sacred journeys.

– Burt Gershater is a local counselor, leadership trainer, speaker and writer. He can be reached at info@burtgershater.com.

This article appears in Source Weekly May 1st, 2025.