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šSonder and Perspective Taking
I've been thinking about other people's lives a lot this past week--especially as we encounter the holiday season.
Sonder is the realization that every person you pass has a life as complex and vivid as your own. The 'main character' of their own stories but also the 'side characters' of many more. Strangers in a strange land. Each person is carrying unseen stories, responsibilities,grief, joys,hopes, disappointments...
Perspective taking is the skill of holding that awareness without losing yourself. It does not mean excusing behavior but it does mean understanding context.
When we practice sonder, we soften assumptions and we interrupt our reactivity and postpone our judgments. We make room for curiosity.
This shift can change how we interpret conflict, misunderstandings, and silence. It can change a moment from aggression/reaction to something more peaceful. It can help us step outside of ourselves.
Question to ponder: What might shift if you paused to consider that someone elseās behavior is shaped by a story you cannot see?
Poll: How do you manage interpersonal challenges?
I have a hard time taking on other's perspectives and react defensively
It's easy for me to take on other's perspectives
I try to stay curious but sometimes my own emotions/reactions get in the way
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šSonder and Perspective Taking
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