barking dogs
I'm at the dog park.
There's a bowl of water.
Someone pours the water out without saying anything.
The angry dog people bark:
“That water is for all the dogs’”
“Hey, that's not your water!!!”
“Leave the bowl alone!”
This is what happens when you aren't aware of your thoughts.
You’re on autopilot.
You think the worst of people and react. I've done this too.
However since I've been practicing mindfulness, I became aware of my negative thoughts.
In that moment of awareness I created a gap. And the gap gave me a choice for how to respond.
This is what I said:
“Seems like you have a reason for emptying the water.” (Chrie Voss - Labeling)
Here's the dog owner:
“ I do. My dog is only four months old so she hasn’t had all her shots yet. I'm afraid she's going to get Giardia. So I'm going to replace this dirty water with clean water.”
The angry dog people stopped barking.
It was as if they were able to see what the other person saw.
There's a good lesson here.
Knowing how to make people feel heard and understood is a superpower for getting through to anyone in your personal or business life.
Don't think the worst of people.
Rewire your brain to listen.
Josh Braun
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