Understand yourself first.
Change what happens next.

It’s easy to make assumptions.

A teacher raises their voice. A student shuts down. A colleague becomes defensive. A conversation at home turns into an argument.

We often create instant explanations.

But what if there’s more happening beneath the behavior?

Understanding what’s happening — in them and in you — doesn’t mean excusing behavior. It means recognizing that our first interpretation isn’t always the whole story. When we meet frustration with frustration, we often escalate the very situation we’re trying to resolve.

You don’t have to agree with someone’s behavior to understand there’s more to them than the behavior.