NaturallyResilient

About

“We don’t see things as they are. We see things as we are.”
—- Anais Nin

We all put our own spin on what we hear and see and then we don’t understand why every one else does not agree with our opinion. If we all could experience events from the same perspective, we would all have the same opinions: how dull.

Most of the time we imagine what is going on with the other person. We reason in our mind what is going on and in doing this we create stories. Usually these stories and assumptions have a negative bent to them. For example if someone does not agree with your opinion you may be quick to say “they are just stupid” or “how can they miss this obvious point”. We are quick to make these negative assumptions. Why is that?

If we are making things up anyway, why not make something up that is positive or at least something that would make sense for the situation. You see someone speeding and your first impulse is to get in front of them and go slow. Second impulse is to wish the police would stop them for reckless driving. But would your opinion change if you knew that they just got a call from the hospital and were told if they wanted to see their child alive they better get there quick. I have actually known someone in that position.

In my experience, people do the best they can in their situation. People do not wake up and say “I wonder what dumb things I can do today?” Yes some people are smarter than others but each is doing what he/she thinks is best at each moment no matter what the IQ.

Live your life with forgiveness and compassion; you don’t know when you will need that from someone else for your dumb decisions.