They Are Not Disrespecting You

Photo by Velizar Ivanov on Unsplash

“We speak about losing our minds as if it is a bad thing. I say, lose your mind. Do it purposefully. Find out who you really are beyond your thoughts and beliefs. Lose your mind, find your soul.” ~ Vironika Tugaleva

In the country where I was born and in many other parts of the world I had the privilege to visit, there is a limiting belief around removing our shoes whenever we are invited to someone’s place.

The distortion is that asking your guest to remove their shoes at your home entrance is anything but conceivable. It is considered as an indelicate request which one should avoid at all costs!

Why am I stipulating that it a limiting belief? In my humble opinion, its foundation is not aligned with the “Universal Principles”, the conscience, the spirit, the core part, the source, our natural constitution — you name it! It is violating “respect”.

I bet you are wondering about the logic! Please allow me to make myself clear: when someone invites you to their sacred space, it is itself a proof of respect for your person. When you accept their invitation, you need to respect the level of cleanliness of their home.

More to the point, when you don’t remove your shoes, resulting in extra cleaning work, you are disregarding their hospitality in a way even if you are not aware of it!

Your host is not disrespecting you or trying to humiliate you when they ask you to remove your shoes gently. Your unhealthy ego is creating such an illusion because its role is to make you believe that you are the Center of the world.

The first time that I visited Sweden and noticed how it was an automatism, I was impressed and very appreciative of the humility and simplicity of their culture.

Interestingly, when you don’t remove your shoes, you send a clear message that you are a stranger, and your host will not fail to ask you explicitly to do so.

If you can handle it healthily, you will be surprised by how friendly the atmosphere is, compared to a formal visit where people feel compelled to put on masks to fit in and be accepted.

Believe me: You will only do yourself a favor by being flexible and willing to review your life-long paradigms you’ve been taking for the absolute truth!