“I was sure I was helping, even though I had to walk on eggshells. It was important for me to stay calm, upbeat, a good listener, so he could feel free to be frazzled, have someone to dump on, no worries at home. After all, he had enough to contend with at work. I wanted to be his proverbial port in the storm.”
The above is a composite of recent conversations I’ve had with people regarding their need to walk on eggshells with a friend, partner or spouse. Three cheers for being understanding but what’s up with the eggshells? What does it mean when we’re walking around like that? What does it say about our relationships? More importantly, what does it say about us?
Eggshells. I’ve had lots of experience with them in my former life. Walking on those eggshells created an imbalance in my life and I lost myself.
And even though I have come to realize I wasn’t doing myself any favors by walking on them, it has perpetuated itself as a habit. So unless I’m paying attention and catch myself, guess what’s still my default?
Now I ask you, do you like tiptoeing around others? Do you want people tiptoeing around you, walking on eggshells?
Let’s look for some solid ground and save the eggs for an omelette.
For those of you in the Austin area, come and enjoy an evening of rethinking the best use of those eggs. We’ll use journal writing and deep conversation to help us look at our eggshell habits, shift how we look at our lives and “re-story” them.
Dates: Monday, November 12 (South Austin) or Wednesday, November 14 (North Austin). Click here for more information: https://www.jeanneguy.com/re-story-circles/
