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"Don't Sweat the Small Stuff" by Richard Carlson
6 years ago If Someone Throws You the Ball, You Don't Have to Catch It
"My best friend, Benjamin Shield, taught me this valuable lesson. Often our inner struggles come from our tendency to jump on board someone else's problem; someone throws you a concern and you assume you must catch it, and respond. For example, suppose you're really busy when a friend calls in a frantic tone and says, "My mother is driving me crazy. What should I do?" Rather than saying "I'm sorry, but I don't know what to suggest," you automatically catch the ball and try to solve the problem. Then later, you feel stressed and resentful that you are behind schedule and that everyone seems to be making demands on you. It's easy to lose sight of your willing participation in the dramas of your own life".
