Covid. Basically our entire marriage and adult life has always been on an upward trajectory.
Every year making more money, every house bigger and nicer, every car more expensive, and
long story short Covid was really rough on us. To a point that we both were very bitter for a
while. But it made us both pause, reflect, and figure out who exactly we were and what was
important to us. I had placed a lot of my personal self worth or value in money, and now i had
to figure out what else I brought to the table. This has taught me many lessons, and I am
thankful for them now. But how I communicate even with my family is much different then it
used to be. I am much more patient, not as quick to anger, and find myself actually listening
to what the other side is saying rather than just thinking of what I am going to say next while
the other person is talking. Which actually, is probably the most annoying think in the world.
When you are in a conversation with someone and you can tell they are only thinking of what
they are going to say next. This has really turned in to a "journal entry" this week. But I think
the struggle point rings very true, and you can't exactly "learn" that, you gotta go through it
firsthand.
I also thought the "Ladder of Inference" was very insightful. I am a fan of Eckhart
Tolle, and I think this very similar to staying in or leading with your ego. I also can second the
"power of nice" and have a very similar story to the flight attendant. My wife and I were
delayed in DFW on our way to Cancun, and to make thinks worse our flight was overbooked.
Standing in line at the gate watching person after person just scream at the agent we waited
until it was our turn to get some bad news. As we approached the counter I just smiled and
said something witty about the predictiment we all were in. The agent looked at me and said
that I was the only nice person she had spoke to and to enjoy the upgrade to first class. The
power of nice indeed!