Everyone wishes to be viewed a certain way. At least I imagine that statement to be true (though, not having talked with everyone on earth, I suppose it is untested.) It is also often true that the way we wish to be viewed by others is not how others actually view us. There is a tendency, when we find this out, to say that the problem lies in the other person. The (rather uncomfortable) truth is, unfortunately, this is not usually the case.

The way we are perceived is usually a direct result of the way we act. That being the case, it is important that the way we act is always in line with the way we want to be perceived. It’s a simple enough thing to say (or type, in this case) but usually much harder to actually do. Still, even given the difficulty (and perhaps impossibility) of actually doing so, it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be trying.