Hip hop Affirmation day 12

Hip hop affirmation: today I draw a line in the sand

Tweet This: “DON’T PUSH ME CAUSE I’M CLOSE TO THE EDGE”~Grandmaster Flash (The Message)

How Long will you let them walk all over you? Drawing boundaries can be an important step when it comes to being at piece with yourself.

While working at New Balance there was a guy who seemed to be after me.  I’m not sure if he wanted someone else to have my job or if he just didn’t feel I was worthy of the position but he took every opportunity to try and punk me.

I was trying to learn the job so it was definitely a distraction and I put up with more than I normally would if I was already in a groove at work.  

We were on a trip to St. Louis and decided to grab some food to eat.  I stepped away to use the bathroom.  When I went to the bathroom he had everyone leave so I would have to pay the bill.  No big deal, he was trying to do the “rookie,” thing to me.  

The only problem is, the way he treated me before this incident put me in a position where I was like, “Homie don’t pay that.”  

I saw everyone standing outside and the waiter said, “They said you would pay the bill.”  I looked at the waiter and just kept walking.  

The guy who was a jerk to me went back inside to pay.

He had reached my edge and I decided to draw a line in sand and was ready to take the consequences.

Truth be told, if he had Told Me that I was the rookie and I had to pay, I probably would have paid.  But he didn’t.  

Decide what your “edge” is and don’t let anyone push you off of it. I’m not asking you to be rude or violent, just strong enough to stand-up for who you are and who you will be when you hold your ground.

MOves to make

1. Take a few lumps: The truth is you are probably gonna have to take a few lumps to really assess the situation and see if your code is being violated.
2. Gut Check: This won’t be the last time I say this, but you have to check your gut.  Does something feel wrong or not just quite right?  That might be the signal that you need to make a change.
3. Get a Second opinion: Find someone you can trust and talk it through.  You probably want someone who has some experience with what you are going through or has experience with the players in the situation.  You can also go to someone who is outside the situation for an objective opinion.
4. Be Ready: You have to be ready for the consequences when you decide to take a stance.  Get clear on the situation, draw the line, practice what you are going to say and the way it could go down.  Go for it and assess after it’s all over.

Don’t just listen to the music, leverage it!