When Someone Judges You Based on a False Perception
Words are powerful. They can breathe life into someone who is struggling, offer hope to a weary heart, or remind a person they are seen and valued. But words also have another kind of power—the power to leave wounds that no one else can see. Recently, I experienced that firsthand. I had a conversation with someone, and later I learned that the conversation had been repeated in a way that wasn't true to what was actually said. The conversation happened, but the meaning behind my words had been changed. Assumptions filled in the gaps, and those assumptions became the reason this person chose to treat me differently. Normally, I could let something like that go. People misunderstand each other. It happens. But then I heard something that stopped me in my tracks. I was told that an employee didn't feel comfortable around me because she said I had told her, as well as others, that I got into trouble at my previous employer for bullying. That wasn't just inaccurate. It challenged...
