Have you ever tried to ignore a raspberry seed stuck between your teeth? It’s impossible!
As much as you pretend it’s not a bother, it truly is a nuisance. A lingering distraction. Whatever you are doing – in a meeting, on a phone call, updating reports, exercising, picking up groceries – you are unconsciously preoccupied with this little irritation.
You try to remove it with your tongue. When that doesn’t work, you try with your finger. Then you attempt to water board it out by swooshing your coffee around in your mouth. You even try the edge of an envelope, the end of pencil or the drawstring from your hoody.
You believe your preoccupation goes unnoticed but the truth is, everyone notices.
And then someone offers you a toothpick. Relief!
Now substitute “raspberry seed” with: strained relationship, a failing project, pending layoffs, elderly parents, needing to put down your dog, your child receiving rejection letter, a client putting you on notice, your heartbroken daughter.
Everyone has raspberry seeds they dealing with, so be a peach and offer them a toothpick.