I Refuse to be Defeated!

This powerful determination I found in a Buddhist newspaper, the World Tribune. It is written for & aimed at those, like myself, who practice a specific form of Buddhism called Nichiren Buddhism.

See, I had just been hired for a job that not only was a step up within my industry, but that would place demands on me physically. A few days before I was to leave for the gig, I had the ‘pleasure’ of twisting (& fracturing, I later found out) my right foot while stepping halfway on & halfway off a walkway slate in the backyard – a talent I’d rather do without. This turn of events was certainly not in my favor nor my choice. All kinds of mental & emotional permutations coursed through my mind & heart from participating in the best indoor sport, negative abusive self-talk, to an achingly painful, & reluctant resignation that I might not be able to fulfill the job &, thus, be fired.

That state was how I boarded a plane to report for work. As I hobbled into my seat for take off, I reached for the World Tribune, while hope mixed with anger. Reading, I opened to a specific page & there I encountered the phrase, “I refuse to be defeated.” It hit me in such a powerful way:

One can FEEL defeated, YET not BE defeated.

No doubt that right then I was certainly feeling defeated. Then insight deepened:

There is a world of difference between BEING defeated and FEELING defeated.

One is a ‘temporary’ place of feeling, the other is a ‘final’ place of being, of having given up based on choice.

I hung onto that phrase like a lifeboat & still do to this day. Needless to say, I did not get fired and found the experience was a great personal & professional triumph in the end.

So take a minute to read this:

“I Refuse To Be Defeated!”

Read that again. Hell, read it out loud. Use it, if it serves and definitely pass it along.

Did this resonate? I’d love to hear your thoughts…