How to Prevent Yourself from Misinterpreting a Text Message
Identify who is texting you., Think about the sender., Control your emotions., Wait before responding., Draft your reply., Understand that somebody's perception is not reality!, Stop texting all together.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Identify who is texting you.
Take a minute to understand who is sending the message. Don't be too quick to respond. -
Step 2: Think about the sender.
Once you identify the sender, think about the type of relationship you have with this person.
Text messages can be very easy to misread.
Past experiences with a particular person can change the meaning of the text completely, either positive or negative, and everything in between. , Whatever the content of the text is, be sure to read it in an assertive way rather than in an emotional way. Remember that once you reply, you cannot take it back. It is all about perception and it is up to the reader to take it as it really is.
Having a good or a bad day will determine your outlook on life and everything around you.
Don't let your personal emotions determine the meaning of the information. When in doubt, be sure to ask the sender for clarification––this will avoid confusion and an unnecessary argument in the future. , Take some time to think before replying; in the end, it is better to be late than sorry.
Often when we re-read the information after a little while, our perception changes completely and the meaning of the text will do too.
More times than not, your reading of it will soften with the passing of the hours and it won't seem such a harsh comment. , Again, once you reply, you cannot take it back.
Be sure to answer with your head and not with your heart, as you may regret any rash comments in the future.
Therefore, draft a message so that you can edit as many times as you want. , Be sure that your replies are short and to the point.
That way, there are less chances that the receiver will create a mental movie of you turning into a monster writing crazy offensive things or a martyr crying a river when, in reality, you were at the beach having a great time and wanting to text him/her a joke, a kind comment or to resume a previous conversation. , If you cannot get it right and misunderstandings are very common between you and your texting buddies, you may want to opt for cancelling your free text messages option on your cell phone plan and save a few bucks.
Go for a coffee and discuss the latest news.
If you need to discuss something more heated, take a nice walk along the beach or downtown to iron out any kind of misunderstanding.
Although technology has become an important part of our lives, it has eaten into many other more constructive modalities of social habits. -
Step 3: Control your emotions.
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Step 4: Wait before responding.
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Step 5: Draft your reply.
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Step 6: Understand that somebody's perception is not reality!
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Step 7: Stop texting all together.
Detailed Guide
Take a minute to understand who is sending the message. Don't be too quick to respond.
Once you identify the sender, think about the type of relationship you have with this person.
Text messages can be very easy to misread.
Past experiences with a particular person can change the meaning of the text completely, either positive or negative, and everything in between. , Whatever the content of the text is, be sure to read it in an assertive way rather than in an emotional way. Remember that once you reply, you cannot take it back. It is all about perception and it is up to the reader to take it as it really is.
Having a good or a bad day will determine your outlook on life and everything around you.
Don't let your personal emotions determine the meaning of the information. When in doubt, be sure to ask the sender for clarification––this will avoid confusion and an unnecessary argument in the future. , Take some time to think before replying; in the end, it is better to be late than sorry.
Often when we re-read the information after a little while, our perception changes completely and the meaning of the text will do too.
More times than not, your reading of it will soften with the passing of the hours and it won't seem such a harsh comment. , Again, once you reply, you cannot take it back.
Be sure to answer with your head and not with your heart, as you may regret any rash comments in the future.
Therefore, draft a message so that you can edit as many times as you want. , Be sure that your replies are short and to the point.
That way, there are less chances that the receiver will create a mental movie of you turning into a monster writing crazy offensive things or a martyr crying a river when, in reality, you were at the beach having a great time and wanting to text him/her a joke, a kind comment or to resume a previous conversation. , If you cannot get it right and misunderstandings are very common between you and your texting buddies, you may want to opt for cancelling your free text messages option on your cell phone plan and save a few bucks.
Go for a coffee and discuss the latest news.
If you need to discuss something more heated, take a nice walk along the beach or downtown to iron out any kind of misunderstanding.
Although technology has become an important part of our lives, it has eaten into many other more constructive modalities of social habits.
About the Author
Barbara Brown
Committed to making cooking accessible and understandable for everyone.
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