Do you ever wish you could control what other people say? That way you could make sure that no one ever says anything mean or hurtful. As nice as that sounds, it’s not exactly a realistic scenario. Inevitably, we would end up squashing new ideas and individuality – not a good idea!
Even though you can’t control what comes out of other people’s mouths, you can control how you feel about what they say. The truth is that sometimes meanness is in the ear of the listener. (Get it: kind of like beauty is in the eye of the beholder?) Let me explain: someone can say the exact same thing to two different people and get two completely different reactions. One person might be just fine and not even realize that person was “being mean.” The other person might be devastated. One day, you might be the one who’s just fine; the next day, you might be the one who’s crushed. So many different factors are at play in communication.
So, how can you build a shield that helps you be the one who’s just fine more often than not? It starts with confidence and feeling good about yourself. You can also arm yourself with a strategy that can help you make a game out of your encounters with mean or rude people; Baffle That Bully! can show you how to do this. In fact, this quote is from Scarlett Jones, the book’s heroine. Finally, remember that other people’s cruelty often has very little to do with you; they might be fighting a battle you know nothing about.
You are the only one who gets to decide how you feel. Choose to be the one who’s just fine!
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Positive quotes artwork from Act Like You Matter, a California non-profit that seeks to promote the well-being of children and teens so that each child feels accepted and free to be themselves without being bullied. Please feel free to share our artwork as long as (1) You don’t alter the image in any way, and (2) You link back to ActLikeYouMatter.org