This post may contain affiliate links. If you click on a link and purchase an item, I will receive a small commission. For more info, please see my disclosure on my Connect page.
Is it just me, or does it seem lately that we are all a little too eager to jump down each other’s throats? Whether it be politics, religion, how someone looks, the type of music they listen to, right on down to how they looked at you this morning! Maybe it’s the ease of communication these days. Social networking, blogging, texts, and everything else in this day and age has seemed to dull our senses and inhibit our ability to be kind and thoughtful.
Twice this week, I have seen someone get ate up by unhappy people for something that they said or did that someone else found offensive. Funny thing is, neither time was the person even trying to hurt anyone else. One simply stated her opinion, that she had the right to have. {We all do.} And, the other made a harmless joke that was not aimed at anyone in particular. Both women would never intentionally hurt a fly. Yet they were attacked faster than I can down a jar of Nutella! {Which is dang fast folks!}
One of my favorite people, recently, said something to me that has stuck in my head.
She said…
“Assume good will”
When you have an interaction with someone else, assume that they have the best of intentions. Be slow to take offense. Look at the situation from their angle. Why did that woman just say what she did? Did she mean it like that, or did I take it that way because of some insecurity that I may have? Was he honest and truly TRYING to hurt me? 9 times out of 10, he wasn’t. And, she didn’t mean it THAT way. You know, this world sure can be a cold, ugly, lonely place. But, it doesn’t have to be.
Lighten up. Learn to laugh. Look for the good.
I like this… In the words of my mother as she would sing through the house as us kids would yell at eachother and fight “let us oft speak kind words to eachother” People are not so good at this lately and I have been very good at taking offense. I will work on that and realize that people aren’t always out to be mean. You are amazing. The end.
i like the way this is worded. i have always told myself to don’t assume. don’t assume they are talking about you. don’t assume their intentions. that kind of thing. we are all entitled to our opinions, and if someone doesn’t see it the same way (gasp!!), then leave it be. (and that was more for me than advice to anyone else.)
[…] Check! Check! Had to remind myself to Assume Good Will. Some people’s “compliments” are um, interesting to say the […]