How Microaggressions Can Build Up and Break Down

One stone won’t kill
but together they will.

Like this cartoon shows.

You wouldn’t think saying, “You’ve got a bit of a belly there!” would hurt someone.

It does.

But what if people said to that someone, “You’ve got a bit of a belly there!” throughout their childhood and teen years?

Would that be detrimental to their health? Absolutely!

Microaggressions can occur anywhere from family to school to work to church!

In fact, I think organizations with higher expectations about what people should be like can be the worst offenders.

Don’t dismiss what some might think is a slight harm a microaggression inflicts. It could be huge, and it could be the final straw together with all the other microaggressions the person has suffered.

One microaggression hurts. Compound a bunch of them together and they kill.

There are aggressions against me every day. At first, it hurt. Some words would debilitate me. But they don’t hurt me like they used to. Why?

1. I built up a tolerance for spiritual abuse.
2. I built up my confidence so lies about me don’t affect me as much.
3. I detect a lack of intelligence and compassion in the aggressor.

To avoid microaggressions (giving or accepting them) here are my thoughts:

It requires a simple prescription: compassion.

Initially I thought education. But people only educate themselves about other races, genders, colors, religions, cultures, spiritualities, philosophies, body sizes and shapes, etc., if they care.

If they cared, they would realize that this world is brimming with an astounding diversity, and that this is its beauty!

Including people! We are incredibly diverse. Acknowledging and accepting and embracing this diversity is what makes us functional and healthy.

This is our beauty!

So, yes, find the compassion to educate yourself about others.

And, yes, build up your self-confidence so ignorant lies about you don’t pierce your heart anymore.

Much love from me to this beautifully diverse community!