As coaches, a big part of our job is to help people see things from a new perspective. Reframing our experience can be very valuable, to see things in a new light, opens up possibilities that create opportunity. We off the following in that vein:
Gratitude and Privilege
I am forever grateful that :
My parents taught me the value of hard work. I was born into a family of means. I lived in an area with good schools. I was not discriminated against based on my race. My parents taught me to live with integrity. God gave me a sound mind.
These things for which I am grateful, are privileges: unearned benefit or advantage. I am not ashamed to be privileged. There is nothing wrong with being privileged. And much of my success in life has accrued to me because of those privileges.
I am not discounting that I have worked very hard to be successful. Yet, I realize that without these privileges, my probability of success would be greatly reduced.
I am particularly grateful for the privilege of a Christian upbringing and belief, and the values that upbringing has bestowed upon me. 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for
one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' (Matthew 25:11)
I believe it is my responsibility to share with others the bounty that has accrued to me, to benefit others who are not as fortunate (privileged) as I. Those with: mental illness, cognitive disability, neglectful or abusive parents, kids with life-threatening illness, those who are discriminated against….
Let us not use privilege as a basis for divisiveness.
Rather than being resentful of those who have more privilege than you, you can choose to accept it; after all, they did not have a choice about their privileges. You may also ask yourself: What privileges do I recognize in my life? How might I use the privileges I do have to rise above my circumstances?
Rather than being defensive with those who say you are privileged; you can choose to acknowledge them and be grateful. You may also ask yourself: How might I use these privileges to help others?
Let us be grateful for our privilege and love one another enough to use that privilege to help one another. Ultimately, love will mend racism, sexism, and all the other ism’s that currently divide us.