Yesterday, Brenda said something to me about a current dilemma we are facing. Not too many months ago, I think I would have allowed a lot of anger to surface and started arguing.
This time though, I did something differently because I realized she was voicing an emotion about how things were affecting her. She was talking about her feelings and emotions, not about me. By realizing that, I was able to respond to her feelings, not mine.
It got me thinking…
When someone says something to you, it is coming from inside their mind and their world. You are hearing and interpreting it from inside your mind and world.
Conflicts or pain can arise when we take what they said “personally,” which happens because we are in our own world and thinking everything is about “me.”
Rather than take something personally, remember that the other person is really speaking about their own world and how they see themselves in it. The comment they made to or about you is only a reflection of themselves. It is how you respond that determines whether or not it will cause you pain or pleasure.
Love and Roses on your Windshield,
Paul