How do you unlearn a competitive mindset?
Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2015 8:26 am
As we grow up, at least in the U.S, we are usually socialized to view members of our gender as competition. Specifically, as romantic competition. The problem with that mindset is that it can make it difficult to foster same-gender friendships, and it can make us hostile to people who we view as somehow having an "unfair" advantage (think about how people snark about how girls are "just doing something so a guy will like you").
So, how do you go about unlearning this way of thinking? I'm curious to know what y'all think (and, if you come from a cultural background with this is not the norm, I'd love to hear how the mindset is different). I know, for me anyway, that there was a realization that tearing other girls down did not actually make my chances of finding a partner any better, and that it was much more pleasant to use that energy to foster a positive relationship with them (also, it's a lot less toxic to perceive other girls as humans instead of just "competition")
So, how do you go about unlearning this way of thinking? I'm curious to know what y'all think (and, if you come from a cultural background with this is not the norm, I'd love to hear how the mindset is different). I know, for me anyway, that there was a realization that tearing other girls down did not actually make my chances of finding a partner any better, and that it was much more pleasant to use that energy to foster a positive relationship with them (also, it's a lot less toxic to perceive other girls as humans instead of just "competition")