Recently my values and lifestyle were challenged. I've thought long and hard about this. What's interesting is that those challenging who I am and what I choose live good lives that I respect. It is just that they can't accept that my ways are equally valuable--they want me to choose as they do, but that's not true to who I am.
What do you do when your values and lifestyle are challenged?
First, I thought a lot about the challenge to see if there was value or truth in the challenge. After a lot of deep thinking, I can see some need for process and communication finesse, but not with the decisions made. I didn't make the decision in focus lightly. I thought long and hard about it, and I thought about it with a lens of what is right for today and what is right for tomorrow. I made my best choice given the information available.
Second, I thought about how oppressive this challenge has been and the fact that I don't want to oppress others in a similar fashion. I read a number of related articles, and realized that it may be a good idea to write down what I hope for with regard to how I respect and value others' choices and lifestyles. And I thought a lot about communication from multiple vantage points, and will seek to find common ground for good communication patterns with those I regularly confer and converse with.
Third, I outlined what it is I hope for with regard to my values and lifestyle now and into the future. A challenge can foster change and also solidify choices that are meaningful to you.
So to be challenged now and then about who you are and what you choose doesn't have to be a bad event, but instead it can be a chance to review your decisions, choices, lifestyle and value--an opportunity to keep what you strongly believe in and value and change what you think might be better.