Do you find yourself getting annoyed easily by other people? Are you often caught up in tensions and arguments? If you feel like you need to be more understanding of others, there are several things you can do to achieve this. Let’s consider some of the things you can do in order to understand other people better.
1.Talk to people
This might seem like an oversimplification, but talking to people is a great way to understand more about how people work. Think about the things that you care about, the things that make you annoyed, and the things that make you feel good. Talking about these with other people and asking how they feel about it can quickly help you to become more understanding and see a different point of view.
2.Explore different viewpoints
The previous point brings us to this one, which is more about exploring different viewpoints. If you have strong political views, for example, read about the differing viewpoints and the logic behind them. This will help you to understand why some people believe or think what they do.
3.Argue from a different perspective
Once you understand more about the other perspective, you can play ‘devil’s advocate’ and try arguing from a different angle. You don’t even have to practice this with other people – you can play it out in your head, write it down or imagine you’re arguing with somebody on the news or a video. Social media is a great place to find all kinds of various ideas and thought processes that you can explore and try to understand yourself.
4.Understand mental health
If you don’t have much knowledge of mental health issues and how they affect people, it might be time to look further into it. It is estimated that over 40 million people in the USA have mental health conditions, and this number is likely to be higher due to unreported cases. Even a basic understanding of depression, anxiety and other common health problems can be beneficial.
5.Let go of your ego
One of the common reasons for a lack of understanding of others is an ego which is too big. Thinking too highly of yourself and your achievements could mean that you make it very difficult to ever put yourself in someone else’s shoes. Having confidence is a very positive quality, but not at the expense of being unable to sympathise or understand others.
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