Your Best Teacher May Be Somebody You Don’t Like

We’ve all come across people in our life that rub us the wrong way.

The neighbor who’s irritated by the fact that your dog’s relieving itself on their lawn.

The clerk who’s more interested in talking to her colleague than helping you with your store purchase.

The couple who keep talking through the movie even though you’ve already turned around twice and given them a couple of dirty looks – although how they would see your face in a darkened theatre is up for question.

The lover who took advantage of your generosity… you get the picture.

It’s in these irritating situations that we come best to know ourselves.

Why?  Because through our thoughts and responses to these unpleasant life happenings, we gain insight into who we are, and what we like and don’t like about ourselves.

The neighbors, friends, fellow workers, girlfriends, partners, husbands, wives and strangers who enter our lives for moments or for decades mirror us and reflect back aspects of ourselves.

What we criticize in someone else is in fact what we find lacking or too much of in ourselves.  For example, I can put down the drunk at the party yet know I drink too much also because I’ve had a couple of shots more when no one was noticing or be too ashamed to say that my mother is an alcoholic.

And believe me; this can be painful when you allow yourself to be fully aware of why you don’t like someone.  Chances are they reflect back stuff that’s really close to home.  Not comfortable at all – it’s not meant to be but it is a personal opportunity to learn and grow.

You can’t experience happiness without going through pain, and meeting that irritating person may be the catalyst to bringing you closer to self-awareness and personal fulfillment.

Read more posts by Kita Szpak here. Kita blogs for JenningsWire.