A peace of my mind---Wellness & Healing

A dear friend came in this weekend to spend time. We are soooooo different. She lives in the corporate world, trying to move up the ladder, and I live in my raw world of being authentic and true. Now, she is very much authentic, but in the workplace she needs to present things a bit differently. We bring a nice balance to one another.

She recently asked for some feedback from her co-workers, and one person said, "I don't think she means to be, but sometimes I feel as if she can be patronizing." This was a comment that resonated within her. She is very detailed and extremely courteous and helpful with others. In the process, it is easy to see how that may be construed by one person as patronizing.

Let's define this first. Patronize:
The definition of patronize is to be kind or helpful to someone, but to talk to them as if they are inferior.
An example of patronize is when someone speaks slowly to an older person who can hear perfectly well.

To patronize is also defined as to support someone or something.
An example of patronize is when a wealthy person funds the work of an artist.

So with these definitions, wouldn't we say it depends on who she is speaking with? How knowledgeable that person is in her eyes? And how we perceive others compared to how they perceive themselves? But in general, she is extremely helpful to others and not so much patronizing. She is on a mission to become a motivational trainer/speaker and finds feedback helpful.

She arrived here for a mama's weekend, and that we got, but I also didn't expect so much wonderful self-growth and reflection with my dear friend. We know each other, and we have lived far away from one another for years and see each other occasionally, but I never expected her to nurture me in a way I needed. Sometimes it takes another person to say things so that we can learn to perceive things in other ways.