Observe - Don't Absorb
One of the hardest things to do is to simply observe things. As they are. Without judgment. Often, when we observe we are already imagining an outcome to our liking. Or we allow ourselves to get involved emotionally in the situation in question. Then we absorb everything going on in that situation, whether it pertains to us or not. Have you ever noticed how others are quick to give advice on social media? Someone recently posted on a thread I was following, that the ones who are often most prone to offer advice, especially to people they don't know, are the least equipped to do so. This morning, I had a person call me and unload her personal drama on me. I tried to be empathetic without involving myself in the drama, and merely listen. At the end I suggested that perhaps she and the other person involved were seeing things from very different perspectives. And perhaps the behavior that was being perceived as aggressive really stemmed from the other individual having a deep fear of ...