ALWAYS!

NEVER!

ALL!

There’s a lot of blowing things out of proportion that goes on around us. And in us. We exaggerate things to make a point. We add a sarcastic tone and rationalize we can say just about anything we want. But the problem is…people are listening. We have influence. We need to be responsible, rational, respectful, and humble people. (And we can still be goofy and have fun!)

Some of the things we say and post might seem witty–and even accurate for our feelings in the moment–but that doesn’t mean we should say it, such as, “I’m not mean. I’m brutally honest. It’s not my fault truth hurts. Here’s a band aid.”

Take some responsibility, and not just for yourself. Take responsibility for your thoughts, words, and actions, and consider what impact they’ll have on others, as well as the impact they’ll have on your future self.

When we claim “always,” “never,” or “all,” we box ourselves and others in and out. We draw lines in the sand, and we all know how sand shifts. The more we learn, the less (or more) adamant we might get. The more mature we are, let’s hope we get wiser, and more discerning.

We blow things out of proportion, usually as a result of averages. It’s easier to generalize when we don’t have enough information to and experiences to average an isolated situation across many contexts in order to establish a more accurate perspective. Sometimes all we have is an isolated situation, and it’s a powerful one, and the generalization we make is accurate. But we can at least take the time to discern, then be willing to admit we were wrong when we learn more later.

If you blow things out of proportion in the little, everyday things, even if you convince yourself you’re only joking most of the time, you’re more than likely going to blow the big things out of proportion. At least, that’s the generalization I’m making, looking across a few years of experiences. Maybe you’ll disagree.

After all, we don’t have to always agree. And we don’t have to never agree, either.