Each person has strengths and a natural proclivity on how they approach life. I have seen this dichotomy more often than not and it nicely ties to the camp of either Tigger or Eeyore.
Just today this played out simplistically in reactions to a heavy snowfall that hit a particular area. One person stated: ” it is Beautiful outside. Thank you mother nature for the white stuff.” The other person stated, “Winter has shown its ugly face”. Inherently, neither is wrong, bad or better, for its the individual’s view of the world. Easily, you can see it fits into one of two camps of Tigger or Eeyore.
The key dynamic is if you are a Tigger and you surround yourself with Eeyores or vice versa, how long before you succumb to that new way of thinking and become further from who you are? How long before the life drains from your eyes/smile by being forced to be who you are not? We like to view ourselves as unaffected by others or what surrounds us, but it does slowly take its toll to be a fish and be told to “keep climbing that tree”. You have probably seen this live in action, as friends and loved ones make different choices for work, environment, relationships and they seemingly change overnight. The change that happens quickly is an easy change back to their core. With things out of the way that inhibited them from being themselves, they are able to quickly move back to their comfort zone.
The sad changes are the ones where someone begins to erode. It’s a much slower process and takes time to strip them of themselves. The view is clear though: the fixed eyes, lopsided smile, empty and vacuous glance.
You are who you meet. Be who you are and protect yourself by layering in others like you to keep the core of who you are safe. Choose a camp: Tigger or Eeyore.
