Projecting Matched Socks

You know what I realized today when I was folding my husband's laundry? 

That he ALWAYS matches my socks, his socks, and the kids' socks. 

And I NEVER do. 

Yeah, I just like to buy socks that all match and have drawers full of the same socks, so I don’t have to match them. 

But I realized why my husband matches all the socks. 

Because he wants me to match his socks for him. 

I see him every morning pawing through his sock drawer, flinging one odd sock in one hand, and digging for a possible match (in the dark mind you). 

I see him frustrated that he can’t find two matching socks. 

And THAT is why he matches socks, because he himself wants me to match his socks for him when I fold his laundry. 

We often project our desires on others. 

Like when I want to lose weight, you know the first thing I do? 

I start nit picking what my husband is eating. I start critiquing, noticing, and judging him and his choices because I, myself want to be doing that for myself. 

Or when I want to be more “present” and available for my family and not always on my phone, or distracted by other things. 

What’s the first thing I do? 

I start noticing my husband and other family members who are possibly distracted, and utilizing their phone. 

Isn’t that fascinating? 

We find in others, the things we are looking for, for ourselves. 

And you know what that does? 

Leaves us helpless, and unchanged. 

If we truly want to have matched socks in our drawer on a regular basis, we must match our own socks. 

If we want changes, and different results we must stop looking for those things in other people. WEEEE are the only one who has the power to change, but we chose to dismiss it because truthfully we don’t want the option to fail. 

So today, if you want to make a change in yourself… STOP looking at everyone else. Just make the change. It’s that simple.