Have you ever seen someone act in a way that made you think there was something seriously wrong with them? You can barely comprehend their actions, so you decide they are not very okay. But do you also consider that you judge people based on your standards, not theirs?

There’s something I think we all need to be reminded of frequently, and that’s that the world plays out according to your view of it. That person you consider horrible is cherished and almost worshipped by someone else.

People in your circle will like or dislike the same things; that’s how you make friends. So, you’re not the only one who thinks that person is horrible; you have company too. Then, usually, you interpret the view of your circle as that of the world because you think your friends are different because they act differently from you.

But opinions can be shared. You can differ from your friend’s character-wise but share the same deep opinions. Now, once you or your friends meet someone with even the tiniest trait of a terrible example you all share, judge mode is activated.

This is not a ticket to being a horrible person because you think there is at least one person whose standards you meet, but a reflection of yourself and your standards. My horrible differs from your horrible. Because you disagree with someone, it does not follow that other people should do the same.

Avoiding them is cowardly, too, because differing attitudes, opinions, and characters push you outside the box. They adjust your perspective from what it was previously. But what do you do? You remain imprisoned in your little fantasy island of good people, where only good things happen according to your standard of good.

No, do away with that this year; try it differently; meet someone who is your polar opposite; learn about other people’s standards and how they arrived there. Open your mind to the various possibilities that everyone and everything possesses.

It’s beautiful to know, to learn, and to grow. You can’t do that by facing the same challenges or hanging out with the same people who do the same thing you do and share your beliefs too. You’re not a wall; move!

While you’re moving, enjoy this jam from Buju – Traboski☺️