“Are you going to eat all of that?”
could imply,
“…Because I want some.”
or
“…Because I think you’re a bit too fat already.
You know the feeling; a simple sentence can imply more. I can spend a lot of time wondering the true meaning of a comment.
But why be bothered by something I possibly imagined? Especially when I could just ask for clarification. And further, why let someone bother me who won’t say what they really mean? That’s on them, not me.
So instead of wondering, I spent the day asking everyone what they really meant.
I asked people why they said something. I asked if they were trying imply something beyond what they said.
It really did take courage. It felt confrontational. But the comfort of sweeping things under the rug is short lived. In the long term, confrontation leads to relief. So while it was beyond my comfort zone, asking for clarification lead to more comfort in the long run.