#SandysWisdom
It is so easy to judge what other people do and say. Our need to be right gets in the way of just accepting that this is their way….of being. My mother was an Olympic criticizer/judger, so I learned to think negatively. In order to break that habit, I developed a technique that will surprise you if you use it: remember the word “different.”
Someone fails to return your call. Instead of judgment say, “That was different!” If someone is rude or unkind to you, think, “That’s different!” If you are sick for a whole week and no friends (who know you are sick,) call to check on you, think, “That was different!”
If something bothers you, chances are what happened was different than (1) you would do it, (2) you expect it to happen or be, (3) it “should be.” Not right or wrong, just different. I got over a large resentment I was holding by viewing everything associated with the people involved as being different.
Our ego says we have a right to be hurt or angry or resentful. It tells us we have a right to always be right. All those choices prevent us from being kind and loving.
We don’t get to provide the script for other people in our play; we are only in charge of our narrative, what we think and say. Change a negative thought to a positive one by using the word DIFFERENT. (…and if you don’t like my idea….well…that is different!)
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Scott A. McDaniel photo
