STOP EXPECTING "YOU" IN OTHER PEOPLE

As we head towards our weekend, I want to save you a load of frustration. Stop expecting “You” in other people. What do I mean by that? Well, even with all of our flaws and shortcomings that we are undoubtedly aware of, we think we are pretty amazing. The way we handle business, the way we organize, the way we engage our friends, etc. We feel very comfortable in our actions and routines.

We get frustrated when we expect others to act similarly or precisely as we would. Many times, we have an internal dialogue about the actions of other people that sounds like, “I would have done it this way,” “Why didn’t they do it like this,” “Why are they not prepared,” and the list goes on and on. Now, it’s okay to secretly criticize if it’s not causing frustration in you, but if you are internalizing the “whys,” you have to learn to step back and stop expecting to see “you” in other people. Sometimes you just have to step back and say, “Not my monkey, not my circus,” and sip your drink.

Admittedly this is quite difficult based on your closeness with the person or how their actions directly affect you. Suppose you are a prompt person, and the person you love is always setting their exit based on a GPS (that doesn’t account for accidents, traffic, and construction). In that case, it becomes challenging to not wish they were more like you. We end up riding their roller coaster with them because of our connection. Also, if you greatly value your time, and a Teams Meeting is fruitless, and you start to think of all the work you could be accomplishing, it’s hard not to get frustrated.

I must be honest; I haven’t mastered any of this 😊I am befuddled when someone is late or unprepared. I feel like the world should be on time, prepared, and accountable. I feel like everyone hates being a part of group text messages! But I am mature enough to know that’s not reality, so as simple as it sounds, I’m learning to stop expecting “me” in other people because, quite simply, “it’s not my monkey, not my circus.”

Enjoy your weekend!

#changedmindschangelives #notmymonkeynotmycircus