When you meet someone new, what’s the first thing you notice?

Their clothes?

Their shoes?

Their eyes?

The thing you notice reveals more about you than them.

Your judgment of a person’s appearance is based on your own personal biases. And it’s rooted in what you think is important.

For example, what will you think if you meet someone who has rumpled or disheveled clothing?

If you’re a frequent traveler or a new parent, you might give them more leeway because you know that there have been times when you, too, have been unable to look your best due to unavoidable circumstances.

Judging people based on their appearance is a learned behavior that is one of the causes of thinking of them as others. And it’s not entirely your fault that you judge or have preconceived notions about people before you get to know them.

Media and the way you were raised are significant contributors to how you view other people. You’ve been taught and, in some cases, manipulated to think a certain way.

Oh, and this applies to how you view yourself too.

When you feel as though you must look or dress a certain way to be accepted, it’s because you’re judging yourself based on the teaching of media and how you were raised.

Judging people by the way they look or dress might be acceptable as a child or adolescent. Still, hopefully, as you mature as an adult, you’ll be able to discard some of the ideas you were taught about judging others based on their appearance.

So, the next time you meet someone new, instead of focusing on what they’re wearing or how they look, think of them as another version of you, another human being. Put aside your biases and judgments and treat them the way you wish to be treated. If you’re lucky, they might do the same for you too.

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