I am perfectly ok with not being perfect.
I understand deeply that we are all human. I am aware of my strengths, which allows me to be ok with the places where I am weaker.
This knowing has been both a blessing and a curse for me.
Because I admittedly am not perfect (but constantly striving to be better) I assumed others were the same. I easily forgive others imperfections. Everyone is safe to be flawed and make mistakes around me, and I rally for that person to not be brought down by it. I consider that a blessing.
The curse arises when I have accepted “bad” behaviour by others towards me, and chalked it up as an imperfection or mistake. In looking back I have allowed some seriously not ok behaviour to continue for far too long without any effort to improve.
Apparently not everyone in this world is striving to be better. This was a revelation to me. Who knew? And why not? I don’t understand this, “being better” is a driving force for me.
Someone who knew me very well once, who had been forgiven by myself countless times, accused me of thinking everyone was broken and needed to be fixed. Not at all the same thing, but an interesting twist of my intention.
It’s a tricky thing to see others as they are, and not as we are. It feels like mental gymnastics.
It is dangerous to assume everyone is just like us. It puts us in vulnerable positions to be hurt, taken advantage of, and mistreated.
Since I have learned and accepted this as fact, I have done a much better job of choosing the right people for my inner circle, which has led to a much happier life for me.