Do you hate the feeling of walking on eggshells around people?

You and I meet people that we feel especially sensitive to — people we don’t want to offend or upset. We adapt to these people by “walking on eggshells”. We need to stop out of respect for those people.

The people you are adapting to are telling themselves a story about themselves that is just as beautiful and just as complicated as the one you tell yourself about you. Do you want people to feel like they have to be extra careful around you? Perhaps you do; I don’t.

Instead of reading someone as sensitive, I prefer to check in. “Hey, checking in, how are things going today?” Then, I can use that person’s answer to decide my next step. Perhaps they need a hug? Maybe they’re having a bad day, and just needed to get it off their chest? Maybe I misread them?

The eggshells likely don’t exist. Instead, it’s possible that what we think are eggshells are the fears of being vulnerable with others.