Have An Opinion
When I started this blog I mentioned I'd write shorter posts more frequently and that I would publish faster. This blog sat in drafts for awhile because I couldn't get my opinion on opinions across!
I've gone through life not having or sharing much of my opinion.
One reason for this has been to avoid arguments and conflict. I also believe that there can be many beliefs and methods to get to the same conclusion. Most of the time, I feel like I get stuck in the gray areas of a topic. And yet in other cases, I simply don't think I know enough to have an opinion.
I can empathize with many different viewpoints and beliefs and take pride in that ability. I think it's important to be able to put yourself in someone else's shoes and feel what they feel, or believe that they've experienced certain things you may not have experienced.
However, as I get older I think it's essential to have opinions and share them. Having an opinion reminds yourself of what you care about. It's also ok to have a strong opinion without fully understanding something, but it's important to have some openness to re-shaping that opinion when you learn more. Even better, reflect on it and analyze what aspects of it you might not fully understand.
If you bring that mindset and share your opinions in the appropriate settings, you might just learn more about yourself and others, and I think that's pretty important.