“You’re not responsible for the way others feel."
For years, I believed the opposite.
I felt that I was responsible for other people's feelings or their reaction to something I would share.
I held back from telling my truth sometimes in fear of disappointing or hurting the other person.
There were a few friendships I had that I felt I was being neglected. I spent time preserving them, investing in them, however my needs were not being met from the other side.
I remember when I realized this truth.
It was a hard reality to accept, but there are many instances in life like this.
It took me a few weeks until I considered what I would have thought to be the unthinkable.
I called the person and told them that I had been investing in our relationship and didn't feel it was mutual and that I would no longer be communicating with them.
I know the person was upset and didn't understand.
That was not my responsibility. I spoke my truth and the person on the other end decided how to handle it themselves. No fault of mine. I was just the messenger of my feelings.
A few day ago, as I was having a conversation with a friend of mine, Billy, I was reminded of the importance of communicating the honest truth and I challenge you to do the same.
If you feel you’re being neglected in a friendship, have a conversation. Let the other person know how you feel. Maybe you just communicate differently, maybe the other person does not know anything is even wrong, maybe the other person doesn't want to invest in you, maybe you will even hurt the person by communicating your truth.
Whatever the circumstance - the way the other person reacts to your conversation is on them. You are not responsible for the way they feel.
You’re only responsible for the way you feel.
