How should we see one another?

HELLO, MI neighbour! Seriously, how do you see yourself? The way we see ourselves affects the way we see others, and the way we see others affects the way we interact with them. Of course, that’s a no-brainer eenh? By the same token, how they see us affects how they interact with us. The big question is, how should we see one another?

For sure, we should not necessarily see others the way we see ourselves. Otherwise, we will expect them to think and behave exactly the way we do. Frustration lurks where we expect the behaviour of others to always synchronise with ours. Wives and husbands get frustrated with each other over their personality differences: when one wants to pray, the other wants to play. Coworkers do the same: the one who has a penchant for a tidy surrounding is frustrated by the one who doesn’t care. And, as you know, that can trigger a whole gamut of negative emotions.

Despite our differences, though, we are expected to live and work together for the greater good of humanity. In a home where mother and father are not seeing eye to eye, the children should not become the victims of their parents’ intolerance of each other. Remember, victimised children may victimise others sooner or later. Let’s save the day.

When coworkers spend productive time fussing and griping over personal differences, on or off the job, what is the end result? Poor quality goods and services. By the way, when I was a nine-to-five employee, we had regular training sessions in employee relations. Does that still exist? I would hope so. We delved into topics like:

* Anger management

* Teamwork

* Emotional intelligence

* Cmmunication skills

* Workplace professionalism, etc.

I would sincerely urge non-compliant employers to embark on this type of training for all levels of employees, post-haste. This can only enhance customer satisfaction, improve employee relations and increase productivity and revenue. Run with that!

Back to the you-and-me story. Since we are powerless in getting the behaviour of our brothers and sisters to align with ours (like we are all that) what are we gonna do? Go into seclusion? No! We could set a sustained example of how we would want others to treat us. Here’s wisdom from the world’s bestseller: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. The issue is not the length of time you should set this example for the other to emulate. Just keep on doing it. As you become stronger, the negative impact of the behaviour of others could become weaker. Persevere!

For our own peace of mind, we must accept their differences, especially if we are in a shared situation. For harmonious co-existence, it is recommended that we focus on what is common to the group, and not take their aggression or disrespectful behaviour personally. They may be struggling with issues unknown to us. Their relief may just come through the patience and kindness we display.

This may be a little risky but, if we assume that the other person has the best intentions, we’ll become more open and willing to communicate with them.

In addition, the more we learn about their situation, the better we’ll be able to accept the other person’s differences. Empathy often leads to inner peace.

A very important point to remember is: if we are in a good mood, it is easier to accept people’s differences and are more willing to work with them. It is important, therefore, that we nourish our bodies, get sufficient sleep, and pray often, as the lack thereof can make us irritable and unable to connect with others. If we feel good about ourselves, we will be able to understand others and be more compassionate to them.

Hope you see my point of view. However, if you don’t, no problem. We are different.

PLEASE REMEMBER YOUR NEIGHBOURS WHO NEED YOUR HELP WITH:

1. Back to school

2. Stove

3. Refrigerator

4. Bed

5. Food

6. Medication

7. Financial assistance to start a little business

To help, please call Silton Townsend @ 876 649-9636 or 876 884-3866. Contact email: helloneighbour@yahoo.com. Visit hellomineighbourja.blogspot.com. Townsend exclusively manages the collections and distributions mentioned in this column and is neither an employee nor agent of The Gleaner.