Sometimes others are the mirrors we need most

I went to a running clinic at a store about an hour from my house. I had been in my running gear since I pretty much live in it now that I am running twice a day until I hit my rest day prior to the 200+ mile relay race I'll be participating in less than a week from now. Eeeeck, that is scary to even realize! Yes, I am excited, but when I signed up I did not think the date would get here so darn fast!

Anyway, I took the time to shower, blow-dry, 'put on my face', a fabulous outfit and jewelry galore! Heck...I even wore my gold coin belt!  Arrived and the other people were in workout gear. I told the woman I had called when I made my reservation to ask how to dress...from work or from gym and had been told 'from work'. So effort...I made it!

She could have just said she was sorry and let it go. But then she made a comment that ALMOST made me walk out. She said "I thought it was sort of a no-brainer to come to a running class dressed to run. I mean, how difficult is that?" Ummmm, WHAT!? Excuse me? I must admit, 5 years ago she'd have gotten dressed down in a way I practically specialize in but the kinder, gentler, more mature version of me simply imagined slapping her silly instead of doing it.

And I spent the first half of the class stewing on her bitchiness. I did get some good information and realized that 90% of what she was sharing, I do already so I was feeling good about myself.  But it was REALLY clear that she considered herself the smartest person in the room and that she knew everything.

Then it hit me, almost with a physical force. I AM THAT PERSON! I really do suffer from know-it-all-itis at times. And when someone WANTS to know what I know...that is fine. But I am aware and realizing that there are times I need to zip it and let others speak. That if I am highly confident in my statements, someone who is thinking through and not fully confident might feel shut down by my 'disease' and then it is not just ME that suffers from it...the conversations around me suffer from it as well.

She might have been a self-important alpha girl and I could just be annoyed by this, but truthfully, I'd rather learn from her and follow the old saw of...if you cannot be a good example, at least be a good warning! :)