Something Admirable.

This week I started a little photography business with a close friend of mine. It's a school project to start our own small business and run it for several weeks. I'm very excited about it, and that fact alone makes me a little nervous...

Although I'm an introvert, and not too outgoing, in group projects where I have lots of ideas, I tend to take control. Not in a mean, bossy way, but I'm the kind of person who likes to get stuff done and has no problem delegating tasks to others to make sure that that happens. So no, I am not necessarily bossy, but I do have a tendency to just run right over others during projects if they do not meet with my standards of efficiency.

The friend I am working with on this project is extremely talented, creative, and outgoing. However, she is more of a "go with the flow" person. So although she is a hardworker and will do a fabulous job on whatever school project she's working on, things usually don't move at the pace and in the direction that I naturally want them to. I'm trying to stop myself from taking charge and allowing myself to pay attention to the amazing ideas and contributions my friend has to bring to the project. It's just something, in general, that I need to work on.

Anyways, that's what's happening right now, and its got me thinking. Weird as it is, I admire it when people stand up to me. Not in a rude, make-me-look-bad sort of way, but rather just saying, "No, I disagree," and then standing by their opinion. I am so used to others just submitting with a meek little "Oh okay..." when I present my own ideas, (maybe a bit forcefully at times, I'll admit.) I notice their hesitation and encourage them to make differing suggestions, but usually they back off immediately. And when they do have a suggestion, they'll say whatever it is, then add, "If thats okay..." I know to other people that's just them trying to be polite, but to me, in my mind, it's them asking for permission to have an opinion. That's just crazy to me, so I never quite know how to react. So many people I've worked with have done that, and I'm not sure if it's just how they act, or how I'm acting, or a combination of the two.

Needless to say, it's so refreshing for me when I say what I think and someone else says, "I disagree and here's why..." Sometimes it does hurt my feelings, and sometimes it just plain pisses me off--but I still admire it. I feel like it shows that they're strong. Maybe I admire it because I would do the same, and because my strength and resoluteness in my own opinions is something that I like about myself.

I'm not entirely sure why I like that stubborn strength in others, but I do. To me, it's something admirable.