Hey there. It’s wild to think about how many stories we’re a part of without even knowing it. Every person we’ve ever crossed paths with, no matter how briefly, has some kind of narrative about us. And we do the same with them. We tell ourselves stories about who they are based on limited information and then we treat those stories as truth.
I’ve been thinking a lot about how we do this with both strangers and people we’ve known for years. We get one interaction, maybe two, and that’s enough for us to decide who someone is. Especially when it’s a negative interaction, we make it fit into whatever belief we already have. They were rude. They didn’t care. That’s just the kind of person they are.
But then I think about how often people have probably done the same thing to me. And how often they’ve been wrong. If they knew the full picture, their story would be different. That’s when it really hits me… if I want others to give me the benefit of the doubt, I have to be willing to do the same for them.
We all want certainty. We like labels. We want to put people into clear categories so we know how to handle them. But most of the time, life doesn’t work like that. People are complex. They’re messy. And most of them are just trying to get through their day the best they can.
That doesn’t mean you excuse bad behavior or ignore patterns that are harmful. You protect yourself. You draw boundaries. But when possible, you can also soften your view. You can ask yourself, “What else might be true here?” Because maybe… just maybe… your story about them isn’t the whole story.
And if you’ve ever wished someone would do that for you, then you already know how powerful that shift can be.
So today, try to look at the people around you with a little more compassion. Remember that just like you, they’ve got stuff going on that you’ll never see. And maybe, just maybe, the world will feel a little lighter.
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