Removing the Rose Coloured Glasses

​Ooh, what does that mean?
Ever found yourself in a situation where things are happening in your relationship and your friends, family or colleagues relay their surprise, concern, shock or even judgement to you and you just do not understand what they are talking about? Infact, you defend your relationship.

BUT, somewhere in your gut, your being, your very essence, you know, you too, have doubt about what is taking place in your relationship to some degree or another. You are choosing at that point in your life, not to remove the rose coloured glasses as you are used to them and you quite like the fit, despite the fact they are rather heavy to wear. You may even be worried that you may not find another pair, so for now, you persist.

Sometimes it can feel like you are going against your value of seeking out happiness, of being positive, of finding the good in people and so you try to see it again and again. But there also comes a time when that feeling in your gut, you have had for so long, starts to strengthen, to become more pronounced.

• What if you could slowly, carefully and with support, remove your rose coloured glasses in such a way that bit by bit, a new picture emerges?
• What if for a while you placed the glasses aside and viewed things without any 'tinting'. Instead viewing the crystal-clear vision that is in front of you? Noticing the bits that tug at that feeling in your gut and focusing on the parts that pull you away from the happiness and joy you know you deserve and want.

Even though you choose to remove the glasses and focus on the 'negatives' of the relationship for now, does not make you a bad person. By doing this, you are exercising your right to question the impact of this relationship has on your values, on what is important and meaningful to you.

​You are allowing yourself to get a taste of what you might want instead. You give yourself the opportunity to choose what is right for you, what boundaries to put in place, whether to have difficult conversations or whether to implement the change that brings you one step closer to your preferred outcome.

#1800respect #patriciagilescentrefornonviolence