Last month I traveled for the first time since the world shut down. I got on an airplane, hired an Uber upon landing, and stayed at a hotel.
And suddenly I remembered what a year in quarantine helped me forget… I really hate strangers. I hate them in lines at the airport. I hate them on the plane. I hate them while driving. I hate them at the hotel. I hate them in restaurants. I hate them here. I hate them there. I hate them everywhere. But I like people. I like hearing their journey unfold. I enjoy learning about their childhood adventures and career choices. I am fascinated to discover what makes people tick. And I am amused when their story challenges my assumptions and preconceived notions. So why do strangers scare me? Because they have the absolute power to reject me at any moment. Therefore, I work especially hard to reject strangers first. Often, I do this by internally judging and criticizing them. Sometimes, I ignore them. But because I like people, I deliberately find ways to turn strangers into people.
And I remind myself of the Big Secret: strangers are afraid that I’m going to reject them! Instantly, like a superpower, I get to set us both free. © 2021. Ann Tardy and Mentor Lead. www.mentorlead.com |