Michelle Obama Instagram – I never could have imagined that the phrase “when they go low, we go high” would become synonymous with my name. So, over the six years since I said those words at the Democratic National Convention, I’ve had a lot of time to reflect about the concept more broadly. And in The Light We Carry, I wrote about it. For a long time, “going high” was a simple mantra that Barack and I used to encourage each other. It was a simplification of our ideals, everything we’d gleaned from our upbringings that had been simmered into us over time: Tell the truth, do your best by others, keep perspective, and find a way to stay tough through it all. And let’s be clear: Going high doesn’t mean doing nothing. It’s not disengagement or simply turning the other cheek. It’s about making your work count and your voice heard in a way that’s authentic to you and constructive for others. It’s about making sure your commitment to dignity and decency lights the way in everything you do—how you treat others, how you show up in the world, how you respond when your back’s against a wall. So as we wrap up this year and look to the start of a new one, let’s remember the power that lies in our words and our actions. Some folks are always going to try to bring us down. But the moment we stoop down to their level? That’s the moment we surrender our power to them. So for me, even when it’s hard, even when we don’t feel like we want to, going high will always be the answer. #TheLightWeCarry