THE POWER OF UNDERSTANDING

“When you judge another, you do not define them. You define yourself.” ~Wayne Dyer

I justified my actions by thinking that people deserved to hear the truth, no matter what.

While I thought my advice came from a place of caring, it would take years before I realized how selfish and thoughtless I was being.

What I had yet to realize was that by being patient and understanding with her friends, my sister was avoiding confrontations for situations she may eventually let go of with time and understanding.

After I made my mistakes and sought advice from others, some of the things I heard really hurt me, and I would think to myself, “Wow, is that how I sounded?”

I think a part of my maturity and growth was realizing that real courage comes from anyone willing to open up about themselves, even if they are afraid of being judged.

I realize that when I show understanding, I get a bigger picture of what goes on in people’s lives—that some decisions are much more complicated than they seem.

Also, what we may consider to be a mistake might actually turn out to be a blessing in the end.

I may not have made this connection, which ultimately had a positive impact on my outlook, and hopefully on the people I care about.

When I give myself time to think through things instead of speaking up impulsively, I have space to recognize what I truly value. Then I really know the things I can or cannot let go of before I speak up.

Whereas I used to believe in always speaking up or stating my opinion, I now see the healing power of being humble and really taking time to listen and carefully think things through.