Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Making Assumptions

A friend gave me the suggestion to talk about making assumptions. 

Webster dictionary defines assumed as: "to think that something is true or probably true without knowing that it is true"


I will be upfront and honest to say that I have made assumptions. I've learned the hard way to be more careful about what I thought I believe to be true without finding out if it was or not.

Although, it is wrong to assume? What happens if I'm right...or wrong with my assumptions?

Personally I think assumptions are usually based on how someone is FEELING about something or someone without actually thinking it through, which can sometimes lead to issues. This may not be the case all the time, but for some it is.


I used to make assumptions based of what I may have heard or thought without prior knowledge about a person or situation. Can you assume someone is a certain way by how they look/act? Sometimes and you might be right about him or her. Although other times it can be taken too far because without gaining more information or facts, your leading yourself to believe something to be truth without validation.

Now I do my best to not assume something and run with it. I believe it is best to ask questions about what you're assuming, so you don't cause an misunderstanding. Everything seen on the outside doesn't always reveal what is going on inside. Let me reiterate that sometimes you can assume based off what you may see or hear, but I do warn that you must be careful and be ready to back up your assumption of things. If you believe what your assuming to be true, you better have proof.

Usually when making an assumptions, it is done after a period of getting to know more about something or someone and /or have seen a pattern related to either that leads you to assume what you think.

If you're right in what you assume, especially about a person, I say it is important to still deal with it appropriately.  Let's said you assume a someone to be a thief, liar, mean, etc and that person is really that way. Well what can you do (if you should be dealing with it) to help that person not be that way? Maybe address it what that person? Ask how you can help that person (if  he or she wants help)? There are probably a number of ways to go about it,  but make sure to not make things complicated. If you're right, don't brag about it. If it is true, well alright, you know what you believe was true and can now proceed with what need to be done or dealt with.


Now let's say what you assumed was wrong! Oh no! Well don't worry to much, unless you started to cause trouble or any issues with your assumption. Then you need to fix it right away. First I would ask for forgiveness if you were wrong, especially if others found out. *You already know that when you assume, you end up telling someone else what you think, which most likely lead to gossip or some kind of misunderstanding* If you assumed something wrong about a person, even if he or she didn't/doesn't know, if it is necessary, admit that you were under the wrong impression. You may have believe what someone else has told you or you simply just didn't care to find out more yourself. Sometimes people don't know they come across a certain way, then we can sometimes assume they are that way and addressing it can help make things less awkward or complicated. We've all assume something (usually bad) about someone and sometimes we assume wrong. Deal with it and move on.

So making assumptions can be a fight starter, cause issues, and get you into trouble sometimes. Assumptions could keep you out of those things as well. Just use wisdom. We're human though, so it is easy to think something is truth based off of little to no prior give info or knowledge. Assumptions can lead you all over the place, so know about what you're assuming. Be careful. You can assume someone is a thief if they steal in front of you. You can't assume someone is Christian just because they go to church. You could assume you might drown if you can't swim. You can't assume that someone is your friend if he or she is disrespecting you.

Make sure first!
Get me? I hope so.


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