Toothpaste and Opinions: How Small Preferences Become Big Stories

“Those who cling to perceptions and views wander the world annoying people.”~ Sutta Nipãta

A Toothpaste Tale

The other night, I finished a tube of toothpaste and reached for a new box I had bought in bulk. Same brand, just a different flavor.

No sooner had the paste touched my mouth than I flinched. “Oh, this is not the kind I like.”

Knowing I had not one, but two more tubes of this “wrong” flavor, I instantly regretted my purchase and even considered pawning it off on my husband. With that small grumble, I went to bed.

The Drama of the Mind

The next morning, before I even picked up my toothbrush, I was already replaying my “toothpaste woes.”

Halfway through brushing, I suddenly noticed how dramatic my mind was being. I laughed, paused, and actually tasted the toothpaste. It wasn’t bad at all—it just wasn’t what I was accustomed to.

What had happened? In one evening, I had taken a simple preference and turned it into an ironclad opinion—and then carried that opinion forward as if it were absolute truth.

From Preferences to Opinions

This small story got me wondering:

- How many times have I decided something was “not good” or “not right” simply because it was unfamiliar?

- How often have I let my mind drop the gauntlet of judgment, shutting out new input before it even arrived?

Preferences are natural, just part of being human. But when a preference hardens into an opinion, it edges into closed-mindedness.And closed-mindedness is where the real problems begin.

The First Act of War

When preferences become opinions, they fuel right vs. wrong thinking. Taken further, they create defensiveness.

And as Byron Katie reminds us:“Defensiveness is the first sign of war.”

Besides, people with too many opinions… just end up bothering other people.

A Gentle Invitation

Next time you notice yourself forming a strong opinion, pause. Ask: Is this a preference… or am I closing off?

This small shift in awareness might soften the moment, open a new perspective, or simply save you from a bad toothpaste story.

Wishing you flexibility in your preferences, Namasté