Everyone who knows me knows I’m obsessed over Dr. Phil, and I have been for a couple of years. I watch him every weekday at 3 p.m., so I make sure I don’t have classes or plans at that time. So, naturally, I’ve gotten to remember a couple of his quotes. I took the time to think of the quotes I think are the most meaningful, so get ready, because it’s time for some life lessons:
- “No matter how flat you make a pancake, it’s got two sides.”
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Every person has his or her perception about what happened. This is especially true whenever you’re in an argument with a friend or family member. Remember: don’t be too quick to judge someone’s actions, as that person may have an outlook on the situation that might change things.
- “You can’t reward bad behavior.”
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It sounds simple, but it’s something often overlooked, myself included. We tend to give people the benefit of the doubt and forgive them quickly, which is something else Dr. Phil cautions about. When someone wrongs you, you need to let that person know how it hurt you. If that person apologizes, say “thank you.” By saying “it’s okay,” you’re implying it was okay to hurt you in the first place.
- “You’ve got the tail wagging the dog.”
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This is said whenever a child is out of hand or controlling “the family dynamic,” but it’s also true with relationships and friendships. As adults, we take on the role of the dog. And, yes, I know that sounds funny, but stick with me. We need to keep control of our decisions and reactions. Whenever we let someone else make those decisions, we’re now letting the tail wag the dog.
- “We teach people how to treat us.”
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Know your worth—this is how we get people to treat us with respect. At our age, it’s normal to be insecure about who we are. Working on your confidence is something that’s going to take time. It will be hard, too. But once you’re comfortable with yourself, people will treat you with respect.
- “People do what works.”
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This is self-explanatory, but remember this when you feel like people are using you. If you’re letting people use you, don’t think they’ll stop. After all, they’re doing what works for them. In that situation, it’s best to let them go. It’s not worth being used.
- “When you choose the behavior, you choose the consequence.”
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If you wrong someone, expect the relationship to change. Nothing stays the same forever.
This can also be taken positively, too. The world consequence isn’t just a negative result. It also leads to a good outcome. So, if you take the time to listen to your friends and family, good things will come out of it.
- “It’s better to be healthy alone than sick with someone else.”
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Dr. Phil goes into this one at length, especially when he tells people to “protect yourself from BAITERs.”
BAITER stands for backstabbers, abusers, imposters, takers, exploiters and reckless.
These are the people in your life who aren’t worth keeping around. It’s time to look at those in your life who fits the BAITER profile and cut them out. If most people you know fit that profile, well, it’s better to be healthy alone than sick with someone else. To listen to more about what Dr. Phil says about BAITERs, click here.
Unlike Dr. Phil, I’m not a psychologist. I don’t have the answers to all of life’s problems and I don’t have the best interpretation skills. But I’ve found these quotes to be self-explanatory and open to interpretation. If you don’t agree with how the quotes affected me, that’s okay. Hopefully they’ll have a positive lesson for you too.