Assuming the Best
Imagine a world that assumed the best;
A world where we were slower to judge and quicker to love.
Though challenges and hurt and conflict will still arise, may I dare say many of our quarrels would subside?
Fear tells us that to assume the best in others is to release control; to somehow let go of what may “protect” us in case of harm or hurt.
What I’ve found, though, is that negative judgment of others often just ends up hurting us right on back. Without fact nor certainty, we can so easily create an entire narrative that is far from true and keeps us divided and isolated, preventing us from experiencing the deep human connection we desire.
The most radical, beautiful, counter-cultural thing we can do today is to choose to assume good, both in others and in ourselves. This starts small, with the everyday interactions - the ones that we find ourselves pondering and questioning and that result in us running down the rabbit hole of every single scenario that could be true as to why they did or said or didn’t do or didn’t say. In these moments, I am challenging myself to lean in instead of out; to open the door for conversation with the intent to understand rather than assuming to know the answer in an effort to protect myself - which I’m coming to find only results in me feeling further disconnected from the people around me.
Ultimately, I want to look back on my life one day and know that I believed people could be good. Flawed, yes - but still capable of good. And in actively working to open dialogue to foster understanding and release judgment I am finding that both my compassion for others and my compassion for self have grown tremendously, enabling me to connect more deeply to those around me.
Assuming the best; a radical notion, I know, but an incredibly powerful, much needed one in today’s world.
Always,
Elle