Leveling

Dr. Phil comes out with some of the most interesting concepts and he taught me something important today.  When a person feels inadequate, they either work hard to raise themselves up or else they run others down to what they consider their own low level.  That is called "leveling" and we've all experienced it at some time in our lives...either we were the ones leveling up or the ones being battered.

In recent years I've found myself reacting to inconsiderate or deliberately rude people in an entirely different way than I did when I was younger.  These days my impatience with such people quickly fades away to pity for them instead.  Mean and cruel people are very unhappy in their own skin and that's why they act the way they do.  Now, I may understand why they're acting horribly and feel sorry for them but I also have no time for them in my life, either.  If I was a better person I'd try to help them become a better person, too, but I just have no interest in trying to rehabilitate anyone.  As far as I'm concerned, if they're not on my love list, they can sink or swim.  It's their choice.

Just having someone take a moment of their life to be genuinely pleasant to us can make our day.  It's a reminder that we can step out of our own problems and be nice if we choose.  If we choose to wallow in our own misery and take it out on others, our misery will only deepen.  You can choose to be happy and, if you're happy, a caring for others will pour out of you.  It's a win/win situation.

Soooo...choose to "level" up!