We have a natural tendency to be on the defensive until we sense safety with someone else. So, if they come to the door, we're wary. If we get introduced to someone new at work, the same. Here's how to diminish that habit and become more open.

Transcript:

Aren’t annoying people
Well....annoying!
You know, those people who have a bad attitude
Who talk way too much when you didn’t ask for it
And who seem to have a negative spin on everything.
And just because of the way we’re wired
We can assume that this is par for the course.
That there are lots of annoying people out there.
And so we form a kind of predictive safety shield
And when we see people coming
Who even look like they’re going to be annoying
We expect that to be the case.
Because of how they look.
Or which ethnic group they belong to.
Or which company they’re with.
Or whatever.
Let’s break that autopilot tendency.
Let’s today give everyone the benefit of the doubt.
Let’s assume
That no matter what expression they have on their face
No matter who they are
Where they’re from
Or what role or job they have
That they are pleasant until proven otherwise.
That they are a good person until they show they’re not
Or that they are thoughtful and smart until we see evidence suggesting otherwise.
I mean, at the very least
All these things are probably temporary anyway
And so we should try NOT to categorise people forever based on
Temporary behaviour we saw once.
Stay open.
Assume the best.
Treat them as pleasant until proven otherwise.