Drop Your Assumptions and Find Your Peace

 

“Peace begins where assumptions end, understanding begins.”

Assumptions are the interpretation we believe or give to what we see? What we heard? And to what we observe? About the people, about the situations and more importantly about ourselves. It has nothing to do with reality. As it builds upon our quick observing and thinking process, without knowing the background of the particular situations or people.

 Moreover, it is like the story building without knowing the facts. As it builds upon missing links or without background. 

These missing links and the story without facts not only consumes so much of our mind but we also have to pay a huge cost for it. That is… our peace. 

Our peace begins to disturbed when we believe in the stories that our mind creates. As we consider them as a universal truth or reality. Without knowing… that it is just one interpretation that our mind created. It can be the other way around. 

Our assumptions create problems that may not exist in reality and make our peace a luxury to us. 

We imagine what other think or feel

We all are pretty good at imagining things not only about others but also about ourselves, that too from the perspective of an outsider. We are so good that we can make a castle from a hole within just one glance of a situation. Even though we may not know the facts, who cares? 

We are good at our job of judging others. 

What do they think? Why did they do this or that? They are wrong, they put themselves first. They are selfish. They don't care about the people around them. 

We have a lot of free time and energy to waste. Moreover our peace seems to be a tradable good for us. We love drama and engagement so much.. Who cares to check facts or peace. 

We make stories without knowing facts

Moreover, we not only make assumptions about others, we also make assumptions about what others think of us? As we have a lot of free time to judge them, we think they are also doing the same to us? We make lots of stories about people and their actions. We make stories on the basis of what we see or observe. 

Our prime stories about ourselves revolve around … . What do they think of me? They must be judging me at every nook and corner of my life. They may not be liking me if I take care of myself? If I can't succeed will they think I am not good enough? I am a failure in life. So on and so forth… 

Our complete focus is upon story building. That's why we make stories about ourselves by keeping them in mind.

One thing we all ignore is that they don't know us, as we know ourselves. Similarly, we do know them as they know themselves. Then why assume things. Why to treat our peace as some cheap commodity. 

This is nothing but our baseless assumptions. This is a trap in which we caught ourselves. These are our thoughts, not facts. But, we are we… . We are good at making stories without knowing the facts and the cost of our peace. 

That's why for our peace the first thing we need to do is … . Drop all your assumptions. It is none of our business, as we don't know much about people and their situations. Rather we need to understand that people have their business to do in their own way. They focus more on their life, not on you and your life. So, restrict yourself from making stories about others and what they think of you. 

Beware what you carry on your shoulder

We let our assumptions to steal our peace

Our baseless assumptions fuels overthinking, anxiety and resentment. Which causes unnecessary emotional burden and stress. It eats our peace like anything else. 

We make assumptions because we want certainty in life. We don't want to venture into an uncertain world. We want to answer every thought that pops up in our mind. We couldn't separate our observation and interpretation. 

And the cost we pay is “our inner peace.”

Which comes from curiosity not from certainty. Which comes from accepting things as they are. Which comes from understanding people and their situations instead of our version of defining things. Which comes from letting go of things. Which comes, when you stop assuming what people think of you. 

How to overcome overthinking: 17 habits that you need to let go

So, drop your assumptions and follow this… 

We have to choose understanding over judgement for our peace

Before judging others for their actions, focus on the missing links that you may not know about situations or people. This even applies to yourself also. Don't make stories about yourself from the perspective of others. Don't judge others for their behavior, for their actions and for their thinking. 

Ask instead of assuming

If you have doubts, then ask. Communication not only resolves complicated minds but also brings stillness in our thought process. Honest communication saves us from our baseless assumptions about others or about ourselves.

 It protects our peace as it does not allow us to venture into the world of assumptions. 

Question your assumptions

Instead of blindly following your assumptions, question them. Try to trace the origin of your assumptions. Try to gather the evidence behind your assumptions. 

The magic begins when you become your own best friend

You don't need to know everything

Accept the things they are. Accept the situation as it is. You really don't need to answer everything quickly as your mind asks. Learn to become comfortable with not knowing. You really don't need to cost your peace, for the things that don't matter to you. 

Stay in present

To protect your peace you need to stay in the present. You need to live mindfully. You have to keep your focus limited to the things you are doing at the moment. As it will keep your mind away from imagining things and making stories. It will not only drop your assumptions but also guard your peace. 

Mindful living in digital age

Stop living in future

We all love to predict the future by assuming different things and different scenarios about people and situations. Assumptions about the future or any event that takes away our peace is like a fresh cooked meal without taste. 

Took a brief pause before you assumes

Pause before assumption, observe before assumption, question before assumption, Communicate before assumption and accept before assumption. This practical and mindful exercise will not only save you from assuming things but also protect your peace by keeping your mind free and empty. 

In the end

Peace begins when we stop creating stories about the things we don't know. Make your peace your personal property, which cannot be taken away easily by others. 

The power of positive habits: Gateway to the life you want