Explanations don’t change things.
We’ve all been caught on the uncomfortable side of an issue or behavior. What we said or did wasn’t acceptable, either to us or possibly to someone else.
We can try to rationalize why we did what we did, but it doesn’t change the end result. Our behavior speaks for itself, and explanation likely doesn’t alter its affects.
Getting ourselves or others to feel better about what happened is behind our attempts at explanation. But focus there detracts from the results of what we did or said. The emphasis should be on righting any possible wrongs and future prevention.
We may need to understand what inner impulses caused us to behave as we did. But that doesn’t exonerate us from the effects of our behavior. A personal review can help us do better going forward.
Today’s message reminds me not to get hung up on explaining my own behavior or expecting others to justify their behavior. Actions speak louder than words, and my focus should always be on what I can do to move forward in a better way.
Please reflect and share. How do you feel about explanations of behavior?