We all have a story. We all have a HISTORY. Our history affects our worldview which has an impact on our belief system. We see things differently based on our experiences and the experiences of those in our 'bubble', the circle of people in our lives and the life we live. Our neighborhood, where we dine, shop, are entertained, hang out on a regular basis are within our bubble. Anything outside of that bubble is a bit foreign to us on a personal and emotional level ... we can't relate.
We hear stories that are completely contrary to our own. How could another human being who lives in North America have such a different experience from ours? I've been to that restaurant. I've shopped at that store. I've been pulled over for a traffic stop. I don't ever have those types of problems. THEY must have done something wrong. Yep, we've all had that initial reaction to a news report or a social media post or a conversation at work.
But think about it. People aren't making up stories. This is their experience so naturally your perspective on life may be different from theirs, and that's okay. But how do I reconcile all of this? How do I gain a better perspective on how others feel and think? Why do they react to things the way they do? How do they see life so differently than I do? How do I become a better leader for the people on my team?
Open, respectful communication. Conversations. Dialogue. All words that, when put into action, can make a huge difference in how we see others. It helps us to understand each other better. It helps us to interact better. It helps us to be able to support each other through injustices, pain and loss. It helps us to relate and feel things that don't necessarily impact our lives directly. It helps us to understand the world outside of our bubble better. It might even lead to a bigger bubble.