Change Ourselves or Others?

Is it easier to change someone else or yourself? It’s certainly not abnormal to have our preferences for how we’d like others to treat us, but it is a monumental task to change another’s behavior. Expecting that we can change another person's behavior to fit our expectations is simply a set up for disappointment. This is especially true if another person’s uncivil or anti-social behavior is a result of their own past and their own suffering. We can, however, change how we react to other peoples' behaviors. This can remove the uncomfortable and frustrating feelings, it can extend compassion towards the other who might be hurting, and it just might be the spark that does help them change. Instead of wishing for others to behave better, we should wish that we would react better. Let’s start working on it and enjoying the positive results.