I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to remind myself of this simple truth:

Just because it doesn’t matter to me doesn’t mean it isn’t important to someone else.

It’s easy to get caught up in our own routines, preferences, and ways of thinking. We all do it. We assume that if something feels small, inconvenient, or unimportant to us, then it must be that way for everyone. But that’s just not the case.

We forget that each person brings their own story into every space they enter. Their own pain, pride, culture, struggles, and values. What seems like a silly tradition, an offhand comment, or a change in routine might be the very thing someone else is holding onto with everything they’ve got.

A few years ago, I had a student who never wanted to participate in our morning routines…until one day, I changed the music we played when walking in. That day, he lit up. When I asked him about it later, he told me that song reminded him of his mom, who had passed away earlier that year. I had no idea. What was just a song to me was a moment of connection to his past for him.

That experience changed me. It made me more intentional, more aware, and more curious.

As leaders—whether in schools, offices, or homes—we have a responsibility to lead with empathy. To pause before we speak, ask before we assume, and reflect before we dismiss.

It doesn’t mean we’ll always get it right. But it does mean we’re choosing to care about more than just our own perspective.

So here’s my encouragement today: be aware. Listen closely. Pay attention to what others value, even if it’s different from what you value. You don’t have to understand it fully to respect it.

Because you never know…

That small thing to you?

It might just mean the world to someone else.