It’s just in our nature to try to put context around everything that we experience. So when we see that e-mail that puts us off, or interpret someone’s actions as rude, or get cut off in traffic, we make up a story that puts the other in a less than positive light, and makes us feel better about ourselves. “At least I don’t…….” is what we think.
So I’ll ask: have you ever sent an e-mail that upset someone else, been perceived as rude or accidentally cut someone off in traffic? Did you do any of them intentionally? People in general do not wake up in the morning and ask themselves “How can I make someone else’s life a little more irritating today?”
So here’s a mantra that will keep you from going down that storytelling path:
Everyone is doing the best they can with what they have.
See if it changes your stress level on a day to day basis!
What riches of life are you missing because of your stories?