Another Bullseye!
I subscribe to the Daily OM and yesterday, once again, the email I received reached out and grabbed me. How do they do that? It feels sometimes like they write to me. Maybe that is the way it is supposed to feel, that they write for the average struggling middle aged person (me). All I know is that it often gives me goosebumps.
I'll admit it. I've been a doubter for a few weeks. A doubter in myself. Since I am not used to feeling this way, I have been in a huge funk. It all started when I let someone else's comments about me, and actions towards me, get under my skin and affect my self confidence. In case you are new here, or haven't figured this out, it did not affect me in a good way. While I may never be convinced that this person wasn't intentionally trying to make me feel this way, I can choose to recognize my own worth and attempt to move past this. Or, make a change.
Either way, thank you Daily OM for once again begin completely relevant to me! Click here if you'd like to sign up for the Daily OM yourself. It's free. It's fantastic.
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Daily OM: Staying Afloat amidst the Spin
Taking Things Personally
Try not to take everything personally, things that people say and do don’t always have anything to do with you.
Every time you interact with others, you have the choice to listen to, acknowledge, and let go of their words, or you can take what they are saying personally. Taking things personally is often the result of perceiving a person’s actions or words as an affront or slight. In order to take something personally, you must read negative intent in an individual’s words or actions. But what people do and say has no bearing upon you and is usually based on their own experiences, emotions, and perceptions. If you attempt to take what they do or say personally, you may end up feeling hurt without reason.
If you are tempted to take a comment or action personally, creating some distance between yourself and the other person can help you. Try to determine what is at the root of your feelings. Ask yourself if the other person’s words or actions are just reinforcing some insecurity within you or if you can really be sure that an offense was intended. You may even want to ask them what they meant. Finally, put yourself in the other person’s shoes. Instead of taking their words as the truth, or as a personal affront, remember that whatever was said or done is based on their opinion and is more reflective of what is going on inside of them, rather than having anything to do with you. You may have been an easy target for someone having a bad day, and their comments may have been offered with no ill intentions.
When you recognize that what anyone says or does doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with you, you will no longer feel hurt or attacked. While it’s easy to take things personally, you should never let anyone’s perceptions or actions affect how you see yourself or your worth. Your life is personal to you, and it is up to you to influence your own value and sense of well-being.