Do you remember playing with toys in your childhood? Memories of your favorite toys might bring a smile to your face. You might have even named your toys and formed emotional attachments to them. Toys like action figures or toy vehicles brought you joy.
Now, let’s imagine a scenario:
What if your toy didn’t behave as you intended? How would you feel, even though you know it’s just a non-living object?
You see, sometimes, we create images of people in our minds. We have certain expectations of how they should behave, and when they don’t meet those expectations, it bothers us. But should it?
Consider this: When a toy train, for example, goes off track instead of following the intended path, what do you do? You put it back on track. But what if it refuses to cooperate?
Now, let’s relate this to our interactions with people. Just as we had toys in our childhood, we have images of different people in our minds. We find happiness when they act as we expect and get bothered when they don’t.
But here’s the catch: People aren’t toys. They’re living beings with their desires, feelings, emotions, and goals. Their actions are often driven by factors that have nothing to do with us.
What a person does or says to you reveals more about them (90%) than about your image of them (10%). Understanding this can help you stop being bothered by other people’s actions.
So, what’s the action to take?
Acceptance: Recognize that everyone has their own priorities, dreams, and motivations that may not align with yours. Allow yourself to let go of rigid expectations.
Intention: Make a conscious intention to release preconceived notions about people. Intentions are powerful signals to your subconscious mind.
This is just the starting step. Over time, with a genuine intent, you’ll find yourself no longer creating “toys” that bother you. For those deeply ingrained images, you may explore techniques like delving into your subconscious mind.
May you find the freedom to let go of expectations and live a blissful life.