How we see things

“We don’t see things as they are. We see them as we are.”~Anais Nin, memoirist

We humans view everything through the lens of our personal experience, which includes our upbringing and education, where we’ve lived, and the people who form our tribe. Things get tricky when we encounter others who see things differently than we do.

Whenever I’m offended, annoyed, or angered, I usually adopt a self-righteousness attitude. But that’s when I need to pause and consider the reasons behind another person’s offending actions, according to David Brooks in How to Know a Person. (Click on the previous link for my review of the book.)

And that’s when a little empathy comes in handy. Have I taken time to understand what the other person might be going through? What backstory is driving the person who is offending or hurting me? Am I living up to the high standards that I expect others to uphold? Is there another way to look at this situation? ~CL

Did you know there are more “Life Lines” features that aren’t included in your daily email? View Life Lines in your browser for content you’re missing.