The Stories We Tell Ourselves

We like to think we see people for who they really are, but our brains often take shortcuts. From the moment we meet someone, we start putting them into boxes based on things we’ve seen on TV, stories we’ve heard, or our own past experiences. This is prejudice—a judgment we make before we actually know the person.

These judgments happen because our brains are trying to process information quickly. In the past, this helped humans stay safe, but today it often leads to mistakes. We might assume everyone in a certain group acts the same way, or we might only notice things that "prove" what we already believe while ignoring the truth.

Staying stuck in these old ways of thinking doesn't just hurt others; it limits our own lives. It keeps our world small and stops us from making new friends or learning from people who have different ideas. As Maya Angelou once said, prejudice is a heavy weight that messes up our past, threatens our future, and makes it hard to enjoy the present.

The good news is that we can change how we think. One simple trick is to pause. When you find yourself judging someone, ask yourself: "Do I know this for a fact about this person, or is this just a story I was told about people who look like them?" It also helps to read different books, watch different shows, and actually spend time working or talking with people from different backgrounds.

In a world where it’s easy to stay in our own little bubbles, being open-minded takes practice. It’s about being humble enough to admit that our first thought isn't always the right one.

What is a story you’ve been telling yourself about someone else, and is it actually true?