05/17/2025
While at Disneyland, I found myself people-watching, something I often do without much thought. But this time, I became very aware of my initial judgments. I noticed how some people spoke knowing there were many young ears around, how some spoke sharply to their children or partners, and how many seemed physically limited—needing scooters to get around or being unable to fit on rides.
I had an automatic thought of criticism but almost as quickly as those judgments came, another thought followed, one that challenged me and is more aligned with who I aim to be.
What must have happened in their life that they are this way?
Not in a sarcastic or dismissive tone, but with sincere curiosity and empathy. What kind of stress, trauma, or pain have they walked through? What beliefs were formed by years of being spoken down to, or not spoken to at all? What small, repeated decisions led them here, and what have they endured just to keep going? What kind of emotional weight are they carrying that I can’t see?
I was reminded that every person at that park—just like me—carries a story. A history. A set of experiences that shaped how they show up in the world today. And while I might see just a moment, a behavior, or a body, I’m not seeing the full picture.
That’s the shift. Instead of staying in judgment, I leaned into empathy. Not performatively, not to feel superior, but because I believe in something bigger, that we are all capable of healing, growing, and becoming. That behind every harsh word, every weary face, or every unkind action, there is often unspoken hurt.
What would happen if, instead of thinking What’s wrong with them?, we paused and asked What’s their story? That one question softens the heart. It transforms criticism into curiosity, and impatience into understanding. It doesn’t mean we excuse harmful behavior, but it helps us approach people in a more hopeful and human way.
At the end of the day, that’s the Greatest Day Mindset, choosing a perspective that honors humanity, even in its messiness. Seeing people not just for where they are, but for what they’ve been through, and for what they’re still capable of becoming.
