Day 24: write about a lesson you’ve learned the hard way

I have learned the hard way that it is important to be aware of your actions and your effect on people. Sometimes we do things totally subconsciously and then play innocent when we see that we have hurt someone. But just because you don’t realize what you may have said or done, you don’t see the extent of how you affect your environment, that is no excuse. You have to open your eyes and look back on the past and become aware of what you were doing. When you make someone feel something, they are going to make you feel it back, and you learn where they were coming from and why they may be upset. You may think “it’s not a big deal, they have no reason to be bothered by this,” and then it comes back to you, and you realize “sure I have no reason to be bothered by this, but it still bothers me.” Sometimes no amount of rationality can shut down your emotions. It’s not like you have to walk on eggshells — just have awareness. See yourself from an outsider’s perspective and ask yourself how you would feel in that position. People are more sensitive than you realize and if somebody means a lot to you then they deserve to be treated with extra care.