Who do I share my cookie with?
And why being choosy is important!
The best treasures are rare to find. Who will you share those with?
The friend who gave you a lift last night? The stranger who smiled and made you feel good? Your parents who cared and raised you selflessly?
From context to context, it may vary yet the core question stays the same: Who deserves to be the one to share in your rewards?
Let us explore this (random) thought process in a bit more clarity.
You have two tickets to watch that movie and someone need to fill that slot. The mind unconsciously starts creating a queue and placing individuals in varying priority orders based on how nice or helpful they have been to you. A judgment occurs in mind even if you consider yourself to be quite open minded and not critical of others behaviors. In the end, it all boils to who we value and depend upon to have a healthy and symbiotic relationship with.
Yet, for a few this process can be very challenging. You have a ride to get back home which can accommodate 4 additional passengers, but 5 of your friends are waiting for the ride. How can I politely tell him ‘sorry, you cannot come’ ? No one likes to be remembered as the bad guy who always closes the door to folks beyond the inner circle of contact. Yet at the same time, being hyper-philanthropic by giving away even the driver seat is not a viable solution. So where is the middle ground for your mind and relationships?
The key to this lies in the following 3 points:
- You should be open to all but firm about choices
- You should not worry about what others may think about your actions
- Be sensitive about others emotions and ensure you clear any disturbances.
Indeed, it is crucial you decide with whom you share your cookie — and be proud about it! For those who were not fortunate to take a bite of it, make it clear that circumstances and occasion did not favour the individual. This being said, please don’t maintain a sense of greater echelon by always ignoring others and having an superiority complex. You can be choosy, but always keep your arms wide open to embrace diverse thoughts, ideas and emotions no matter how extremely it conflicts with yours.
The world does not revolve around us thankfully, because it means that living in harmony requires trade-offs and ways to climb up further. Be firm about these decisions you make while making it clear to those around you that it was done with all best intentions.
Be ready even when the table turn — when you are the one to whom someone is kind to give the portion of the (limited edition) treat, be grateful and humbled for being worthy of attaining it. It truly means a lot to be an individual of value to someone else’s life and these small tokens of acknowledgement can go a long way in boosting personal morale and confidence.
So the next time you face this dilemma, remember the best rewards are reserved for those who deserve it. And maybe your turn will come in time.
