I Was Dealt the Death Card…

I could smell burning incense as a curly-haired lady in a long skirt led me to the back of the building. We brushed aside the beaded curtains and walked into a dimly lit room with one table and two chairs.

After a meticulous shuffle, she began swiftly placing large cards in front of me and simultaneously informed me what they described.

First card – “your past”

Second card – “your current state”

Third card – “your near future”

As she flipped the third card, my eyebrows raised when I saw this:

Without hesitation, she continued flipping card after card, describing their meanings, but I wasn’t listening. I just kept staring at my impending doom.  

This was my first psychic reading experience, so I kept quiet as she began to interpret them in depth.

Good news friends...It turns out I’m not predicted to die.

The death card in this instance was faced towards me representing significant change or transformation in my life.  *

So thankfully, the lesson here, isn’t one of life and death. It’s about making negative assumptions that are not supported by facts.

Jumping to conclusions can negatively impact our relationships by changing our mood, the mood of others and the way we react or communicate.  

Next time you catch yourself playing “mind reader” try these three strategies.

• Assume positive intent.

Natural Reaction: “Why is my boss hounding me so hard about this project?”  

Assume Positive Intent: “Maybe my boss sees potential in me and wants to help me grow from this experience.”

• Consider the opposite.

Natural Reaction: “When Bob gets to work he is rude and abrupt.”

Consider the Opposite: “Maybe Bob’s trying to respect my time and morning routine.”

• Ask for clarity.

Natural Reaction: “Why isn’t Alejandro’s crew using their safety cones? We just talked about this last week!”

Ask for Clarity: “Hey Alejandro, where are your safety cones?”

Want to learn more about assuming positive intent? Read this book by Chip & Dan Heath.