We all walk around with our own (very complex) story. We are full of emotions, both positive and negative. We spend most of our time thinking about ourselves, our story, and what others may think of us. We try to keep things we don’t like hidden and display a person who’s put together. But what we fail to realize is that there is a much bigger world out there, which we bump into everyday.
Everyone’s story is complicated. We try to conceal it in a box. We put the box up on a shelf when we walk into a room. We may let some people peak inside the box, but mostly it stays concealed. We tend to stay on the surface when talking with people while shopping, at work, or around town. However, we fail to realize that our complicated story is smashing into those around us. Our story is more like a giant billboard or a ball and chain, which is so large, it cannot be ignored!
Think about all the interwoven stories of your life. What friends and family have made you who you are today? What brief moments of great joy or grief have forever been etched into your memory? Your life overflows the little box that sits on the shelf. It spills out in your emotions. It spills out when you get angry at your kids or the cashier. It spills out when you bubble over with laughter or excitement. It overflows with love, joy, bitterness, pain, hatred, acceptance, confidence, sadness, fear, pride, hope, and enthusiasm. It constantly spills out and runs into all the other stories in the room.
Have you ever stopped and thought about your life and how it interacts with the world around you? How do your interactions affect your coworkers? How can you make positive impact on those around you? How can you get to know people enough to see what’s in their box?
