Some days feel so ordinary, but..

Some days feel ordinary, yet they leave you with a quiet insight. Today was one of those days. Nothing remarkable happened, but it reminded me of something I’ve been working on: the simple act of building relationships by judging less and listening more.

I’ve never been the kind of person who instantly likes everyone. I form opinions quickly, and sometimes unfairly. But lately, I’ve been trying to pause just long enough to understand before reacting. And while I don’t always succeed, I’ve noticed something interesting: I’m disliking fewer people.

It made me realize how much our own reactions shape the people in front of us. When we respond sharply, they become defensive. When we show impatience, they close off. Sometimes all that’s needed is silence. When we don’t react, we don’t push people into becoming the version we dislike. We simply allow them to be who they are. And more often than not, they’re absolutely fine.

Believing that people are inherently okay changes everything. The moment I hold that thought, I start listening more. And when I listen, people start trusting. They don’t see me as a threat or someone waiting to contradict them. The conversation becomes lighter. The relationship becomes easier.

But I’ll admit that I still blabber a lot. Some habits cling stubbornly. It takes conscious effort to resist the urge to fill every silence. So what is the ideal I’m moving toward?

To meet people without prejudice. To hear them without forming instant judgments. To let them finish without interruption. To be perfectly at peace even if I don’t say a word. To focus on building relationships, not proving my point.

I’m not there yet. But that’s the direction I want to walk in. Gently. Consistently. One quiet conversation at a time.