Do I Have That Problem?

My best friend growing up had a frequent worry about having a booger hanging out her nose. It was such a huge concern for her, we came up with a way she could question me about it, in front of people. In a crowd, she would ask,” Do I have that problem?” She would flare her nose and I could do a quick glance for a bat in the cave. I have no memory of a positive scan. In the moment she needed reassurance everything looked fine. Like many of us, my dear childhood friend spent a lot of time worrying about nonsense. But she is also incredibly open to feedback. She’s the type of person that hears what other people have to say about her. She uses what’s helpful and discards the rest. This is not my fist blog on the topic of feedback. It’s something I am always learning about. Giving and receiving constructive criticism is a delicate dance between the two parties. There are many factors to consider. Today I’m thinking about my own openness to the process. When someone else is doing something that appears to be unproductive, unaware or just annoying, can I ask myself the question, “Do I have that problem?” It has been said what we find aggravating about others, is what others find irritating about us. How open are you to radical candor? 

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