Since year 2005 in spring I was active in a community. It was friendly and good, although since it was a internet community, and every interaction was digital, you had to interpret everything that was written. It would have been easy to understand if the participants only wrote simple sentences and normal dots. Unfortunately or might I say it adds flavor to a boring life. The communication wasn`t that simple. The dots, the smileys were misused to the point that it became extremely difficult to not see things as double-pointed if there is such a word. So I was active there for some time, then I understood how this was harming my mental health. To one day I decided, from now on, I will not use time on over-interpretating what they are writing. I am going to start making excuses for them, that they are meaning exactly what they are writing. To make life easier for myself. And guess what, it was one of the best decisions of my life. It had a profound effect on my mental well-being. Today when I see people struggling with this, I feel sorry for them. I know there is a way out. I know that life can be easier and less stressful than going with the flow.
It is important that we use time on interpreting what people say. Dont misunderstand me. It`s just that nowadays it is so easy to use words, sentences, dots, and smileys to bully others. The only way to not accept such behavior is to not give it any value. If we accept behaviors that are harmful, were going to feel low. SoMe has a lot to offer the world when it comes to communication. And with every thing that is as that, it can also be misused.
Think about it. If 100 people were given a message, each and every would interpret it individually. Their culture, family-background, ethnicity, friends, community, experiences, social /anti-social and education etc decides how people perceive the message. So if you have lived a life where you understand norms different than others, cause you haven`t been out there and interacting with the community, chances are you will understand things different than others. Sometimes we use examples from a sitcom or a movie, to make a point. If the other person haven`t watched that sitcom or movie, the point will not come across as clearly as for those who have seen it.
So if you are in a certain situation today, try to slowly let go of over-interpreting what people are saying, and see how your life will become so much more easier and stresless.
Roshnii179 