“When you expect people to be their best selves they’re more likely to be their best selves…and I want people to be their best selves.” Sarah Silverman
Too often this is not the way we look at people. Well, maybe we look at people who we like this way…expecting them to be their best selves and giving them the benefit of the doubt. But what about people we don’t particularly care for or don’t know or don’t agree with. Do we really look at them and expect them to be their best selves?
Let’s bring it close in and take a look…like in your daily life…not from behind the computer screen or on Facebook. Let’s take a look at people you encounter everyday…people you work with, family, other parents, neighbors, other drivers, the homeless person begging on the street corner, the cable TV service representative, waiters or waitresses, friends, nurses and caregivers, police officers, construction workers, store clerks, teachers, auto repair technicians. Do you really expect these people to be their best?
I can tell you I am guilty of expecting the worst when a contractor shows up to work at my house. I expect that things won’t go smoothly, it will cost more than the estimate and he will leave a mess. Having written this down, I don’t feel so good about it.
What expecting the best really means is not being so judgmental, stop jumping to the worst case conclusion and showing a little love. It means that we adopt the belief that there is good in every person and then we decide we want to help make room for it…by simply believing they have something to offer…their best self.
This is our reminder to look at the world expecting others to show up as their best selves. Why not? It might be what you find! No cost for giving this a try. As Sarah also said in this interview, “Empathy and compassion are free.”
Love always
Paula
