The reason people can be so difficult

Is anyone in your life, to put it mildly, a pain in the rear end?

Maybe it's your stubborn boss, narrow-minded neighbor, or obstinate father-in-law.

The reason many people tend to be difficult is because they have trouble seeing things from a point of view that diverges from their own.

To them, the sky is blue and can never be gray. Open-mindedness is simply not in their vocabulary, let alone their repertoire.

What's worse, these very individuals are often reluctant to concede they're wrong even after realizing it.

Egocentricity often goes hand-in-hand with intransigence.

So what is one to do about people who have such a hard time being flexible in their views and opinions?

All we can really do is make an entreaty for them to consider our perspective.

If, however, it goes in one ear and out the other, then nothing will change until they come to the realization that others have a right to differ in their outlook -- and that their take merits consideration as well.

And if this becomes the norm, it raises a key question: Does this person deserve to be in our lives?

It's too bad that certain people are so stuck in their ways.

We see it all the time at work with higher-ups who want to stick to the same old ways of doing things.

Then there are those who assume that just because they did things a certain way, it's really the only course of action one should take -- whether it be studying medicine, getting married before age 30, or buying the biggest house in the neighborhood.

Then they proceed to try and inculcate these patterns of thought in their kids, co-workers, or relatives.

They fail to comprehend that people's attitudes, beliefs, and perspectives are shaped not only by upbringing but by their unique experiences.

If one refuses to see things from others' points of view, they shouldn't expect others to see things from theirs.

At the end of the day, the best relationships are those in which people are at least disposed to hearing what others have to say.

It doesn't mean they have to agree with the individual, but they should at least respect their thoughts on the matter.

Everyone has a right to their own opinion, but they don't have a right to make others' lives miserable just because they see their mindset as the only one that counts.

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