Humans are basically selfish by nature. They want to get their way and get what they want when they want it. When you were born, what did you do? That’s right, you cried. You cried when you were hungry, thirsty, hot, cold, sick, tired, scared or just wanted attention. You cried so that you would get your way. Crying was the means by which you were assured to get what you wanted and needed.
I’m guessing that by now you’ve outgrown crying all the time in order to get your way, but then again maybe not. (wink) Everyone learns what they need to do in order to get their way. The method and means change according to circumstances and the people involved. Even now, you become protective when something you want is threatened or someone tries to take it away. In this way, humans are like dogs.
Dogs?
Bear with me. No animal pun intended.
So what exactly is that white thing on top of the blue circular tube?
Coconut?
Frosting?
Whipping cream?
Clay?
No, I don’t think it is any of those things.
Maybe it’s lace!
No?
Let’s start at the beginning.
As you know, I am a redhead with very fair skin and actually my skin has been somewhat translucent all my life. Not only do I have fair skin, but I don’t really sweat. No, I don’t easily “glow” or “perspire” or any of those words. You’re probably saying, “Way cool!” but what you don’t realize is that without sweating, you overheat quite quickly and pass out. Let me just say, I’ve been there and done that, so I try to avoid fainting at all costs.
Anyway, with the whole translucent skin and no sweating thing it also means that my skin dries out quickly if I don’t drink plenty of water. I’ll confess. Sometimes I just don’t drink the amount of water required and when that happens, my lips get really dry. One of the greatest products I’ve found to combat my dry lips is Nivea lip balm.
No, this is not an advertisement for a product.
Now you’re all ready for me to tell you my story.
I have a sweet-natured little eight pound Toy Poodle named Bella. This little red haired dog watches me put lip balm on my lips all the time. I leave a tube on my desk so it remains handy. One time Bella climbed on my chair, leaned over way far on my desk and took the lip balm. She promptly sat down and ate half of the lip balm before I came back into the room.
That was the beginning of the end.
From then on we had to make sure that the chair was not close to my desk after I walked away.
You would think it ended there, but it doesn’t.
We are just softies and when Bella looks up at us with those puppy dog eyes, we can’t say no. So while applying lip balm, Bella stares pathetically at me and I let her lick the lip balm.
Baaaad decision.
The licking of the lip balm only made her more determined to get more of it with or without my assistance.
Bella has been very successful with the Nivea lip balm crusade. She’s like James Bond 007 in the stealth way she waits for me to leave the room before silently jumping onto the chair. Unfortunately, every now and then I leave it too close to the desk. That’s bad news for the lip balm and the lip balm container as you can easily see.
Bella doesn’t bite or snap at anyone. Like I said earlier, she is a very sweet-natured dog. However, and that’s a big HOWEVER, when Bella has a tube of Nivea lip balm in her possession, she will growl and fake soft bite you if you get too close or try to take it away. The moment you get within reach of the lip balm, Bella will put it in a vice grip in her mouth. The growling is hilarious. Actually, I love to hear her growl and go crazy because she’s afraid I’m going to get the lip balm back.
The last time Bella got a hold of the Nivea lip balm she took the blue lid off, took the white tube apart and ate the remnants of the lip balm. When I purchased a new tube, I got the menthol kind of Nivea lip balm, but Bella still likes it. Why does that not surprise me?
This dog knows what she wants and how to get what she wants. Bella doesn’t ever want to share the lip balm with me. In that way, she’s just a selfish dog who loves to eat lip balm. But the big lesson here is that Bella does everything in her power to ensure she gets her way and gets what she wants every chance available. Once Bella gets the lip balm, as far as she’s concerned, it is hers. She will protect her right to have it to the bitter end.
How To Get Your Way And Getting What You Want
If you want to get your way in an unselfish manner, there are things you can do and remember.
- Know Yourself – Only you know how you feel. Are you wanting your way because it is a good thing or are you just being selfish, self-absorbed, self-obsessed or self-centered?
- Be Honest – Be honest with yourself and other people. If you want something, make it known that you want it. Maybe other people will help you obtain your heart’s desire.
- Remain Factual – Drama is not necessary. Statements like, “I will never ______ if I don’t get _____,” are so dramatic and useless. State your needs and wants clearly. Remain fact-based and willing to take the time explaining your point of view, needs and wants to the other people involved.
- Be Brave – Fear can easily squash good experiences. Be courageous and stand up for what you want and need. Communication is vital in getting your way and makes the whole process much smoother. Not enough good things can be said for effective communication.
- Remain Committed And Diligent – If you really want or need something, don’t back down or give up. Protect your desire and the right to obtaining what you want. Take a lesson from Bella and growl if necessary. (wink)
There are times in your life when you will be the only advocate for your wants and needs, so it is vital that you love yourself enough to do whatever it takes for your present and future. I think William Shakespeare put it best when he said…
“To thine own self be true.” ~ William Shakespeare ~
That pretty much nails it, don’t you think?
