A great quote from Mahatma Gandhi

“I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet.”

– Mahatma Gandhi, pacifist leader of Indian independence movement

563Image from Flickr by ginnerobot.

It is a common custom in many parts of the world to remove one’s shoes before entering the home of a friend or colleague, so as not to bring any unwanted dirt into their residence and thus soil their surroundings.

Gandhi is asking us to consider the idea that negative or undesirable thoughts from others are a pair of metaphorical “dirty shoes” that can leave unpleasant remnants in our minds, polluting our inner world.

Exercise:

How can you limit or completely stop others in your professional and personal lives from “messing” with your mind?