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Our perception of
humanity as a whole is, to a large extent, dualistic. We paint people
with a broad brush — some are like us, sharing our opinions and our
attitudes, while others are different. Our commitment to the values we
have chosen to embrace is often so strong that we are easily convinced
that our way is the right way. We may find ourselves frustrated by
those who view the world from an alternate vantage point. However
ardently we believe that these people would be happier and more
satisfied following our lead, we should resist the temptation to try to
change them. Every human being has been blessed with a unique nature
that cannot be altered by outside forces. We are who we are at any one
point in our lives for a reason, and no one person can say for certain
what another should be like.
The reasons we try to
change one another are numerous. When we have learned to flourish in
the life we have built, we may come to believe that we are qualified to
speak on behalf of the greater source. The sum total of our knowledge
will never compare to what we do not know, and our understanding of
others’ lives is limited. The potential we see in the people who are a
part of our lives will never be precisely the same as our own, so we do
these individuals a disservice when we make assumptions about their intentions,
preferences, and goals. Our power lies in our ability to accept others
for all their quirks and differences and to let go of the need to
control every element. We can love people for who they are, embracing
their uniqueness, or we can love them as human beings from afar.
Your ability to influence
people may grow more sophisticated because others sense that you
respect their right to be themselves, but you will likely spend more
time gazing inward into the one person you can change: yourself.
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