What works for you

An interesting conversation made me think about a core idea that I believe in.  What works for you doesn't work for me.  Here's an interesting thing about that as well.  People in general are quick to make assumptions and opinions about other people's lives.  Our different experiences make for us to have different paths.  By asserting an opinion as being honest or blunt is not necessarily helpful.  As a support system for a person you are there to hopefully ground someone.  You are there to bring a voice of reason for decisions.  You don't reap the rewards and suffer the consequences.  By asserting your opinion and how you assert also says a lot about you.  How do you assert that support.  What works for you doesn't work for me.  I have concluded that some will never truly understand that concept.  Their intentions are not malicious.  They mean well.  But they are so far off base that it's truly sad.  It's okay.  What helps is by peeling the layers off someone piece by piece with an open mind and open heart.  That's not an easy task.  Perhaps that openness leads to those feeling insecure of their ideas and values.  It's hard to know, really.  I was forthcoming about my concerns and fears to a friend regarding her decisions.  Yet, I explained that what works for me may not work for her.  And there is an extra variable to that equation.  If you assert any opinion about how someone should change things....make sure you back up with resources or support that they can truly use.  The concept of what works for you make not work for me truly takes on a thoughtful process of why we make decisions and how we make decisions.  It's something to think about when we have our next conversation with a friend or otherwise about their decisions.  What works for you may or may not work for me.