I woke up this morning feeling exhausted and decided not to go to work. I also realized I pushed myself the day before. It didn’t look like much, but I joined some people for dinner when I was already feeling unusually tired. I took a 15 minute catnap and could have taken more. Then I felt annoyance as I went to the event because I didn’t want to go. I felt obligated. I didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. So I’m paying for it today. Maybe it wouldn’t have made a difference, but the fact that I didn’t really want to go is the issue.

The real issue is I was avoiding the possibility of someone objecting or feeling hurt. Why is it OK for me to feel hurt? Why don’t I think they can handle dealing with their own issues.

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying “Take one for the Gipper.” That’s the saying I was hearing in my head this morning. Is that what I think I’m doing? Being heroic. Then I had another funny thought. What would the world be like if we didn’t people didn’t take that shot for someone else? How would history be different? I’m not a history buff and I can’t think of any accounts off the top of my head. Do you know of any?

How would your life be different if didn’t do things out of a sense of obligation. What if we all just learned to accept the answers people gave us. Even when they didn’t do what we wanted them to do. Can you let something go if someone turns down an invitation without some comment to follow that may induce guilt or a feeling of harassment? Don’t you love it when it’s meant as a joke? A joke in disguise. Not funny. Did it feel funny. No, but we politely laugh don’t we.

The truth is present. There is an energy exchange with or without words. If it didn’t feel good, it wasn’t funny. Which reminds me. If I do something out of a sense of guilt or obligation the energy I am bringing isn’t pleasant either. I’m not doing them or myself any favors. I’m bringing tension. Hmmmm….what are you bringing to the party?