Mostly how others treat us has nothing to do with us.
We’ve all experienced being treated poorly, in our estimation, by others. We may be disregarded, belittled, criticized or devalued. It doesn’t feel good.
We may turn ourselves inside out trying to figure out what we could have done to merit their behavior. Or we may attempt to posit reasons why they act as they do. And truly all that doesn’t matter. These folks behave as they behave.
Further, although it may be directed toward us, the reason for their behavior has little to nothing to do with us. They may dislike themselves and project their dislike out onto us. Or they may have been treated poorly and now are dealing with us in a similar way.
We can also be the target for anger they feel unable to more appropriately express to someone else. Again, the motivation for their behavior isn’t important. What is is our understanding that we and the behavior may not have a causal relationship.
Today’s message urges me to not take others behavior, particularly when less than stellar, personally. I may wish to choose my response to poor treatment to limit it in the future, but knowing the behavior isn’t about me will help de-escalate the situation.
How about you? What’s your reaction when you are dissed?