Let’s get one thing straight: I am a Leo. That means I have enough natural fire in me to keep things interesting, but it also means I have a very specific set of internal “laws” that I live by. If you’ve been following Stories from Tina for a while, you know I’m usually all about the iced coffee, the nursing life, and navigating the wild world of family dynamics. But today? Today we’re talking about that line in the sand.
I saw this quote recently: “If you ever catch me trippin, it’s over principles. Not people.” 🎯
And let me tell you, I felt that in my soul.
We’ve all been there. Someone does something that makes your eye twitch. You want to send that text—you know the one, the three-paragraph essay where you use “per my last email” energy in a personal relationship. But then you stop. You ask yourself: Am I mad at the person, or am I mad that a fundamental rule of human decency was just tossed out the window?
For me, it’s almost always the latter.
If I’m “trippin,” it’s not because I’m trying to be difficult. It’s because I value things like respect, honesty, and boundaries. As a nurse, I live by protocols. If you skip a step in a clinical procedure, things go south. Life is kind of the same way. If we don’t have principles, we’re just out here winging it, and frankly, my schedule is too busy for that kind of chaos.
Lately, I’ve had to make some tough calls. Whether it’s deciding who gets my new phone number (if you have it, you’re inner circle!) or setting boundaries with friends and family about travel plans and schedules—it all comes back to principles.
People will try to make it about them. They’ll say, “Oh, Tina is just being stubborn,” or “Why can’t she just go with the flow?”
The flow is a trap, y’all. Going with the flow is how you end up in a situation you never wanted to be in, feeling resentful and tired. When I stand my ground, it isn’t because I don’t care about the person. I care about the principle of shared respect. If I say “no” to a trip or a favor, it’s because I’m honoring my own peace and my own family’s needs. That’s not trippin; that’s maintenance.
Here is the funny thing about living by principles: it actually makes life easier.
• No Guessing Games: People know where you stand.
• Less Heartache: You stop taking things so personally. If someone violates a principle, that’s a “them” problem, not a “me” problem.
• Better Sleep: There is nothing like the sleep you get when you know you stood up for what was right, even if it made things a little awkward for a minute.
I’ve been through enough—from the nursing floors to the big life changes—to know that people come and go. People change their minds. People move across the world. But your principles? Those are the things you take with you. They are the “home” you carry inside yourself.
So, if you see me looking a little intense or if I’m holding the line on something that seems small to you, just know I’m checking the blueprint. I’m making sure the foundation is solid. I’d rather lose a connection than lose my character.
Besides, life is too short to trip over people who don’t even have a map. I’ll keep my principles, my iced Philz, and my peace of mind, thank you very much!
What are the principles you refuse to budge on? Drop a comment below and let’s talk about it—just keep it respectful, because, you know… principles!