Reality vs. Fantasy: Truth Can Hurt, But It's Still Truth

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Recently I was talking with a friend about making decisions based on reality vs. fantasy (fantasy meaning the way you hope or think things should be). I think it is better to make decisions based on reality. Sometimes that means opening yourself up and being vulnerable to another person, which might lead to hurt. Sometimes it means confronting a reality that isn't what you wanted, which can hurt too. But avoiding hurt by avoiding reality leads to way more problems than honesty and confronting reality, in my opinion. It's always better to know where things really stand. The key is to let people be who they are without judging. When there is no judgment, you can make decisions based on reality without resentment.

This applies to everyone: family, friends, romantic interludes and co-workers. Treat people and make decisions based on reality and you will negate a lot of unnecessary stress.

I credit learning to meditate and ponder quietly for helping me learn to see and react to things as they actually are, rather than moving through life in a cloud of fantasy. I'm not perfect at it, but I understand it a lot better. Reality can be really great, too! And when the reality you find isn't what you want, you can sometimes move on to a new set of circumstances that ARE what you want. Life is awesome that way. (Sometimes you are stuck with a reality you don't really want, but at least you can reduce the stress of it.)

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