Many people have great difficulty in reading other people, because they also have difficulty in reading themselves.
These people often spend so much time covering up their own frailties with façades, internal blocks and verbal excuses that they often don't really bother getting to know others very well.
All too often the non-thinking, emotional part of their brain expresses itself more frequently than the analytical, evaluating side of the brain.
When such people do make an evaluation of another person, it often winds up being only an unconscious mirror version of what they have never admitted seeing in themselves.
The more out of touch with yourself you are, the more inclined you are to produce a mirror reading of yourself for another person.
When you learn to recognize undesirable emotional states in yourself, you're taking the 1st step toward changing these states.
Reading other people accurately becomes easier for you then, because you act more like an observer.
Now as an exercise, A) List 4 things in a notebook that would engulf you with compassion and love for your fellow man.
B) List 4 things that would fill you with happiness, joy or contentment.
C) List 4 things that would surge you with excitement.
D) List 4 things that would flare you into anger.
Misreading people and their intentions can often lead to trouble and great difficulty in your daily life.
How you learn or don't learn from such difficulties can help OR hinder you later in life.
Voice inflection, body mannerisms and eye expressions can be discerned subconsciously when you read people, or you can just as easily learn to read these signals consciously.
For instance, great salespeople often observe carefully the body movements of potential customers.
By mirroring and matching the body language and energy level of those they are about to sell to, good salespeople can thus establish a better buying receptivity in potential customers, because people generally feel more comfortable with other people that are like themselves.
How well do you feel you know your friends and relatives?
Do you feel you see them as they are or as they pretend to be or both?
First of all, let's see how you see yourself.
Now look at the words and phrases on the next page, and choose the appropriate words applicable for your own personality by putting a check mark beside them.
If you photostat this sheet ahead of time and give it to your friends and relatives, you can see how you see each other.
ADJECTIVAL EVALUATION SHEET _____________________________ Fill in the name of the person.
Check those applicable words & phrases for the above individual: argumentative shrewd materialistic stuffy diplomatic vindictive insecure confident insensitive easily angered jovial trivial selfish unselfish aggressive timid intelligence average friendly intelligence high quick witted talkative adventurous cautious patient impatient erotic contemplative intense caring giving submissive deceptive trustworthy untrustworthy disciplined undisciplined lazy minded dangerous materialistic peaceful close-minded devious efficient independent critical childish unstable thoughtful boisterous inquisitive curious tolerant intolerant restrictive domineering secure dishonest honest knowledgeable skillful quick learner interesting agreeable intriguing logical illogical emotionally stable nervous creative healthy unhealthy loving assertive a leader type understanding candid fearful stubborn frugal wasteful helpful sloppy compassionate sympathetic polite open-minded disagreeable If there are any words you feel you would like to add to the list for your description, please do so.