Are you above the line or below the line?
It’s a deceptively simple metaphor, but it will change the way you see yourself and others.
At any point in time, we are either “above the line” or “below the line.”
Above the line = being open, curious, and committed to learning
Below the line = being defensive, closed, and committed to being right
When we perceive a threat of any kind—a challenging conversation, unexpected feedback, a decision that didn’t go our way—we typically go below the line. It’s human. We all do it.
The point isn’t to try to stay above the line all the time (that’s impossible).
It’s about noticing where you are and choosing what happens next.
Check in now. Are you above or below the line?
Can you accept where you are? Only then can we choose to shift.
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
Credit to @ConsciousIsNow; I learned this concept in one of their courses. See their visual explanation here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLqzYDZAqCI
For more on Above and Below the Line, see Brené Brown’s recent conversation with Kara Swisher @onwithkaraswisher https://www.youtube.com/shorts/BdbY98ARPdQ
VIDEO CREDIT:
@LPV-UK