When we meet someone for the first time we immediately assess if they are -or could be- compatible with us. It doesn’t matter what type of relationship, personal or professional, we’re looking for. If we feel that someone is too different from us we tend to cut them off and stop the relationship from progressing. Even if we have to work with that person, we go out of our way to avoid them. Differences in opinions and lifestyles can be a red flag for us because we seek familiarity and what we understand.
In today’s society we can’t keep avoiding those that are different from us. Or those that we think are different. We encounter people throughout our lives that we immediately write off. Because of this we might miss out on a friendship or a life lesson we need to learn. So the purpose of this practice is to start searching for the similarities in others. Instead of focusing on what separates us, let’s look for what unites us.