From my journal:
I live my life based on assumptions.
And that is a chilling way to live. Think about it. Assumptions are idle, lazy things. They don’t even care enough to own up to the fact that they are mostly composed of lies. We blink in their face and they blow smoke in our eyes and up our asses. Like politicians, we too readily accept them at face value and never hold them accountable when things go wrong.
After I wrote this, I wanted to know why I had come to this conclusion and how it was such a destructive force in my life. Assumptions are the white lies we tell ourselves to get from one day to the next. They nestle us in our comfort zones and drain pleasure from the people and things we value. And, if you’re like me, they go unnoticed most of the time.
At the end of a little introspection, I came up with three ways hidden assumptions affect me and possible courses of action I can take to make some serious positive changes.
1. I keep asking the same questions.
All of my self-doubts were the same old questions buzzing around my head for months. I kept looking for new ways to approach these doubts and questions instead of realizing I was asking the wrong questions to begin with. Plan of action: Focus on brainstorming different ways of looking at dilemmas. Instead of meditating on my options (which freezes me into complete lack of any action),decide on a course of action and go through with it.
2. Even after experience has taught me otherwise, I’m afraid to be vulnerable around people and tend to say what I think others want to hear instead of standing ground on my beliefs or feelings.
I always assume the best about others and the worst about myself. I’m that person who rehashes conversations months old and winces because I told a lame joke or shared something intimate about myself. I assume others have richer, far more complex inner lives and in turn I am petty. Whacky, I know. But honest. Plan of action: Assume everyone is as petty as I am. Kidding. My plan is to send an unexpected note to a friend. The point is to take the focus from myself and do something for someone else with no expectations.
3. I’ve become too content.
Up in the air has become my comfort zone. I secretly assume that since I have a loving husband, great kids, and we pay a mortgage that my life is better than I deserve and this assumption leads me to fear that making any changes will cause it all to vanish. Don’t rock the boat, baby. That old trick. Plan of action: Well, crap. No day but today, right? Do one thing different. Edit and submit that story I’ve been sitting on. Make a date to go to the local coffee shop with a pen and a notebook.
Any thoughts or insights on the hidden dangers of assumptions? Comment below.
I think I can safely predict that you have a FAR richer inner life than most. I’m all for you rocking your boat, baby. Don’t forget to be kind to yourself in the process. You have a very kind heart, and that’s no small thing. Nor is it an assumption on my part.
I guess I’m saying you shouldn’t assume that people don’t admire you. Or that they won’t respect you when you take bold action. You deserve to shine, so don’t be afraid to click to the “on” position. Most–including me–will applaud, the rest don’t matter.
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I think I can safely assume that I’m blessed to have a friend like you. Thank you for your kindness and reminding me that I have to step back and challenge those more negative assumptions about myself as well. Shine on.
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Do you watch The Walking Dead TV series? An interesting plotline currently developing: after years in a zombie-infested, broken-down countryside and encountering non-zombie humans, in community after community, who pretend to be all “We’re the best friends you’ll ever have” and then turning on the main group… after all that, the group’s leader (guy named Rick) has lost all sense of what it means to trust. So when they meet up with someone who’s evidently not just really nice but also desperate to help them, Rick doesn’t trust the guy. AT ALL. So now we’ve got a :situation”: do they risk trusting the new guy? Or will Rick’s paranoia be vindicated?
Assumptions are a survival skill. But it makes a lot of sense to keep testing their validity — stuff changes! 🙂
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I couldn’t agree more- assumptions are survival skill, but we have to test their truth. Great point. I started watching The Walking Dead a few weeks ago, and find it exciting how much I’m learning about tension, plot, and character from this well-written show. Thanks for coming by and be wary of Walkers, my friend.
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