Ego isn’t always the enemy.
Sometimes, it’s the shield that protects your dignity and keeps your inner world safe from manipulation.
But ego can also mislead you, especially when it confuses being constructive with being condescending.
If you start a conversation unkindly and then claim to be the victim when called out, that’s not bullying; that’s deflection.
It’s surprising how many people miss that difference.
Even friends can cross lines, and pretending not to notice doesn’t make you kind; it makes you complicit.
There’s something ugly about those who cling to the ghost of their past power, mistaking the memory of control for the right to command others.
It’s a disappointing, distasteful display. A reminder that not everyone learns grace after influence fades.
Here’s to being petty.