At Big Think today I wrote about the power we give to others who least deserve it. Happiness, success, and sense of self worth are influenced by dependence on others. And so, we should choose wisely the people on whom we depend for what matters most.
Sometimes giving away power makes sense. It’s important to trust. As human beings we have social and physical needs. We may want praise, understanding, support, care, financial backing, love, commitment or any of a host of other things. The question to ask is whether we are seeking them from the right people. Going over and over to a dry well for water is unproductive at best. Depending on people unable or unwilling to provide what we need is similar. In the latter case, however, we give people the power to make us miserable when with a little rethinking we could do so much better.
