Do you give people the Benefit of the Doubt?

Hi Stephanie
This (email) just dropped into my email box when I switched some settings. Don’t know why my email gremlin was holding off a chance for me to go for a drink with you!!!! Sorry, keep me in mind when you are out this way next! Jeanne

Things like that happen sometimes, that’s why I never assume people are ignoring me, rather something happened like this.

Although, sometimes they are just ignoring me!

And while this is just about an inconsequential email (and I easily could have sent a follow up email to her to check if she was free or picked up the phone), the concept of giving people the benefit of the doubt is a good one.

Maybe:

the message didn’t get through
they were lost in their own thoughts and didn’t notice you saying hi
they are going through something in their own life that is taking their attention
they didn’t realize what the effect would be or what your intentions were or what was expected of them
they didn’t have the resources they neededMaybe, maybe, maybe.

Giving people the benefit of the doubt will likely not only reduce your stress (no, not everyone is out to get you) but may lead to better, stronger, happier relationships. I know that I sure appreciate it when people give me the benefit of the doubt.

So…the next time someone:

drops the ball
slips up
doesn’t live up to your expectations
disappoints you
doesn’t reply
___________Consider starting to train your first thought be gentle, kind and compassionate instead of negative, judgmental or angry.

Giving people the benefit of the doubt, it’s just one more way to live Your Life, Unlimited.

The post Do you give people the Benefit of the Doubt? first appeared on Your Life Unlimited.

Contributed by Stephanie Staples at Your Life Unlimited

by Stephanie Staples

Do you give people the Benefit of the Doubt?

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