Is Dr. Seuss right?

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."  Dr. Seuss

I thought this was a brilliant quote and it became one of my inspiration board mottos  - until yesterday when I really started thinking about speaking our mind and diplomacy.

 I tried to raise my son to be honest and vocalize his opinion .. but never thought of the flip side of this until this week when he thought he was being honest by giving his opinion (apparently in a not so pleasant manner) to a teacher.  That one didn't go down too well.

Recently a friend gave me her opinion about letting my hair be its natural colour when she thought I needed to look younger and should colour it.  She stated she was just being honest.  I suggested she consider diplomacy. 

I thought that now that I am getting older I am less influenced by other people's opinions about me .. but obviously I am not and am still concerned with social etiquette and behaviours.  I thought I was free enough to just speak my opinion with confidence. 

I realize after a week of conversational and email tip toeing in an attempt not to be misconstrued or to have my opinion be considered pushy or obnoxious ... there is still a code of diplomacy and a fine line of social awareness by which we live our lives.

We may want to be who we are ... .but then question ourselves when others make swift judgements of us.
We may want to say what we feel ... but then feel like we have to retract half of it for fear of rocking the boat, being misunderstood, or for maintaining the peace.

There is a difference between honesty, diplomacy and opinions. 

Can we still be honest but maintain diplomacy?
Can we give our opinions and consider ourselves being honest?

Well, now I am not so sure about Dr. Seuss' opinion ...  because the situations that brought me to the point of apologies or defensive responses were because I obviously thought that those with whom I interacted DID matter. 

Did they mind that I said what I felt or that I was being who I wanted to be?  I would think they did because if it didn't bother them .. then they wouldn't have had an opinion.

Sure .. we have to be honest. .. but we also must learn the art of diplomacy, especially when it boils down to determining if what you are saying is you being honest .. or you just expressing your opinion. 

Personally, in my honest, non-diplomatic opinion ... Dr. Seuss probably never realized that most people could probably never understand any of his books anyway.. that's why they didn't mind .. so it really didn't matter anyway.  What do you expect from a guy who eats green eggs and ham? 

What do you think?   You can be honest with me :)

Wishing you a CPM for the weekend ahead!
cheers
sun