So lately I've found myself strangely intimidated by someone. Why strangely? Because I am never intimidated. I think that's why I can make friends with anybody, why I'm not shy, or afraid to approach a total stranger and start up a conversation. But with this particular person, it's different. So it got me thinking...why? What is it about this person that makes me feel intimidated? Two things: One, this person is extremely gifted in an area I am not. Two: I somehow forgot that this person is just a person. A person just like me.
Now being intimidated by someone who is good at something you're not, or knows something you don't, is understandable. So you learn from each other and accept each other's and your own gifts. But to think that someone is better than you, or to put them on a pedestal...well, maybe that's not so healthy. To admire certain traits in someone is great, until that admiration turns into a feeling of not being good enough, or not worthy enough. Because, really, we are all just persons. And in that sense, we all share something in common. But then again, we are all so very different. Different fears, different looks, different perspectives, different stories. So when I open myself up to the fact that this person has a story just like I do, the intimidation disappears. It's a different story from mine, no doubt. And there might even be parts of the story that I wish were my own. But it's not a better story; it's just different.
This "Daily OM" (a daily meditation/inspiration) was delivered in my Inbox this morning. These messages have a funny way of being eerily relevant to issues I'm dealing with at the moment. This particular blurb helped me realize that there are interesting people everywhere. If we take the time to discover other people's stories and share our own in return, chances are we won't feel intimidated. But rather we'll feel connected to one another. And our own journeys will be validated. I guess the trick is finding the people who genuinely want to listen as well as share. And you might just find people who aren't interested. But that doesn't mean YOU are not interesting. Like everything else, it's just a risk you have to take. But all you have to do is ask.
"It’s easy to forget sometimes that everyone has a story to tell if we take the time to listen. We are so accustomed to hearing the stories of people in the news that we sometimes lose track of the fact that the random stranger on the bus also has a fascinating story about where they came from and how they got to be where they are. The sheer variety of paths taken in this world, from farmers to CEOs to homeless people to world travelers, is indicative of how much we can learn from each individual. Sometimes the shy, quiet person at work has the most amazing life story and the biggest dreams, it is up to us to take the time to find out.
Some people travel a path of wealth and privilege, while others struggle with only themselves to rely on, and both have great stories to tell. Each person learns lessons, makes choices, and develops a unique perspective, which only they can claim and share. Even two people who have had very similar lives will have slightly different experiences, leading them to a different point of view, so each person remains a treasure trove waiting to be explored. When we take the time to ask questions and listen, we find that every person has a fascinating story to tell and an utterly unique perspective from which to tell it.
Bearing this in mind, we have the opportunity to approach the world around us in a new way. There is never any reason to be bored at a party, or on the bus, or in a conversation with a stranger. When we retain the spark of curiosity and the warmth required to open someone up, we always have in front of us the makings of a great story. All we have to do is ask."
From: DailyOM
