How many times have we been told, “You get out what you put in”? This applies to so many aspects of life, from friendships and romantic relationships to academics and physical fitness. The validity of this statement is widely accepted; it is honestly difficult to dispute. It’s logical, and it continues to prove itself right, time after time.
I’d like to introduce a slightly less well-known concept: the idea that you receive what you project. This is related less to effort and more to attitude. If you project a positive attitude, you’re likely to experience positive interactions from others. If you develop a negative attitude, people will probably respond negatively. Seems simple, right? You’d think. But for a lot of people, this is a real challenge.
Having a hard time putting this concept into practice does not make you a bad person. Everyone struggles with this from time to time. People grow angry when others are rude to them. While this seems like an entirely reasonable response,
it only perpetuates the ill feelings. The person may be acting rudely because they feel threatened or perceive (correctly or incorrectly) your attitude as rude. They may feel judged or feel a lack of approval. Each individual has a different defense mechanism for dealing with these feelings, and each individual has the capacity to both understand this and help prevent the need for it in the first place.
Beyond just moods, we project our disposition. Most importantly, we project our care for others. This is our most valuable asset as humans. Our ability to care for
and be there for each other is more important than anything we could ever hope to accomplish. As we consider what we project, we realize we are ultimately responsible for not only what we receive but also what every other person receives.
All too often, we are too wrapped up in ourselves to understand others. It seems like an issue of selfishness, but actually we may be selling ourselves short. How often do you consider that the most
insignificant act of your day may and probably does mean far more to another person? An angry word or rude glare can easily be forgotten by you, but it could
ruin another person’s day, and a kind exchange or a seemingly inconsequential compliment could mean far more to someone than you could ever comprehend. While we may be quick to write ourselves off as trivial in the grand scheme of the world, this could not be farther from the truth.
If we project a care for others and for ourselves, the same will come to us. You may feel this statement is false if the results are not immediate and continuous. Sure, there will be bumps in the road at times. This is understandable, but it is not a reason to give up. We focus on current issues, but human interaction is something that will never cease to be important. We should treat it as such and put the appropriate energy into preserving its importance.
By projecting the suitable attitude toward both this idea and one another, we can make a more pleasant world in which we humans all receive and feel the dignity and acceptance we deserve.
Taylor Cavaliere is a UF psychology and journalism sophomore. Her column appears on Mondays.
