Have you ever played, “What’s their story,” or any variation of this game? If you don’t know what I mean, check out this hilarious clip from Date Night with Tina Fey and Steve Carell.

I know I do this all the time, and it can be a lot of fun. As humans, whether we like it or not, we are quick to judge people. We think we have it all figured out. Even though most of the time we’re probably wrong, it’s still entertaining to try to discern what people are like, based solely on appearance or body language alone.

When I was an outside the home working mom, I would literally despise seeing women in yoga pants and a ponytail, pushing their babies in a stroller, walking into a store or into the bank in the middle of the afternoon. I was automatically jealous and came right to the conclusion that they obviously didn’t work and that their husbands must make tons of money so they can just shop and work out all day.

Now, I very often walk around this same way in the middle of the day, and I wonder if people think this way about me? That’s definitely not my situation, and it makes you wonder how off base we can be sometimes.

Nonetheless, it’s a great way to pass the time while waiting for your food at a restaurant, or standing in line at the deli. If we just took the time to talk to someone for five minutes, we might completely change our minds, though most of us just ignore people and go on with our day.

I’m going to try to take a cue from The Breakfast Club (one of my favorite movies) and give people the benefit of the doubt. You never know someone until you hear “their story,” and just as the movie says, “each one of us is a brain, a basket case, an athlete, a princess, and a criminal.” And feel free to add on any other quality that sums you up to that list. Our personal struggles and triumphs make us who we are, not our clothes, our mannerisms, or the way we wear our hair. Let’s give everyone a chance. Their Story and Our Story might be closer than we think.

What have been the biggest misconceptions you’ve had about someone? Or, what have people thought about you that wasn’t true?