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A few days ago we wrote a blog-post entitled “Be A Tall Poppy.” I had more than one person ask in comments and in person, what the —-! did that mean!
Why a poppy? Why discriminate against the many other lovely but apparently unapplauded flora of the world?
What does it mean to “be a tall poppy?”
This referenced the “Tall Poppy Syndrome” of Anglosphere nations. It tells us that culturally people who wear their accomplishments openly and indiscreetly invoke jealousy in others who then correctively cut the “tall poppy’s” down.
No offense to other buds around the globe, but when we say, “Be a tall poppy,” we say be yourself without the “discretion” of hiding your beauty – flaws and desired traits included.
We probably can’t change cultural opinion much if we don’t work with our own feelings of possible social rejection of making these changes in ourselves. Being a tall poppy means that we will not be reduced by stigma and other forces; we stand tall and live.
In our blog-post Paging A Testimony, Nancy told us about her discomfort with the response of others to the way her improving health demonstrates itself and changes the dynamics of their relationship. The balance of energy, power and involvement between her and others is in flux. Her courage of prevailing through can be coined with, “Nancy is a tall poppy.”
Way to go Nancy! Stand. Cowing to those negative emotions is the same as cutting the poppy’s head off and stem left short. Feel the tension, but stand. Be present with your emotional responses. Stand tall.
Self-Care Tip #279 – Be present with your emotional responses. Stand tall.
Related articles
- Toot! Toot! Tooting Your Own Horn (broadsideblog.wordpress.com)