What if you DIDN’T "know" how it was going to go?

Is there someone in your life that you’d rather avoid? 

Maybe it’s a relative who is always criticizing you, or a co-worker who is demanding and overbearing, or a customer who is never satisfied. Consider this – the feeling you have when you think about that person is based on some event in the past, so you figure you have proof about who they are. Consider that how you feel about that person now has you gearing up, putting on your armor or rehearsing the conversation in your head. Does that sound familiar?

Now consider that your own perception guarantees that the experience will include criticism, demands, and dissatisfaction. It’s what you’re expecting.

Are you willing to try an experiment?

Next time you encounter that person, pretend as though you’ve never met them before. Be sincerely kind and respectful, as you would with someone you just met. You might be really surprised by the response!

And if you’re not – if that person is just as critical, demanding and dissatisfied as they’ve been in the past – you can choose in the moment how to respond. And just maybe that will surprise you, too.