Caught in A Mousetrap of Emotional Debt?

Imagine a world where the cheese on a mousetrap is placed there by another mouse. With that in mind, let me ask you:

What’s your cheese?

Think of a friend of yours and a relationship that feels off to you. Imagine you are observing that relationship. What is the need they maneuver you to fulfill? And how do they use you to meet their needs? (What’s the cheese in their trap?) If you are biting on that cheese — trying to fulfill their needs even though you don’t want to do it — you need to ask yourself, ‘What cheese am I using in my trap for them?’ The trap is set.

What’s the trigger?

The mouse does not know the cheese is bait on the mousetrap. If the mouse knew why the cheese was there, do you sincerely believe it would go for it? Probably not.

Let me ask you. How are you going to know when you’ve met your friend’s needs? And do you now believe they owe you one (even though there’s no conscious agreement) because you’ve met their needs?

The trap is set by you and for you. And now you’re caught in emotional debt.

Emotional debt creates a feeling of owing without conscious agreement from both sides. Here’s what I mean.

Did your friend tell you that you had to do something for x amount of time to satisfy their need? Let me be bold. If you do not know the terms of engagement, you may trigger an emotional debt that snaps shut and gets you (and the other person) in trouble. I get it. I’ve been there.

What’s your leverage?

Learn to recognize the Five Signs You Are in Emotional Debt.

Each mouse set a trap of their own, and that’s because each wanted their needs met. However, both were too ashamed to state what they wanted/needed and what would satisfy those needs.

Let’s get accountable. Maybe you now realize the cheese you’ve been going for and the traps you’ve been setting.

➡️ What are the chances you go for a piece of cheese on another mousetrap?

➡️ What are the chances you’ll set another trap to get your needs met?

Furthermore,

What if you discovered what your own needs were, and you decided that you would find yourself your own cheese without a trap?

Anne Beaulieu, inspiring the next generation of emotionally intelligent, strategic women through:

• Your personal emotionally intelligent strategic plan
• Developing strategic emotional intelligence
• Financial EQ coaching
• Financial EQ consulting
• Financial EQ implementation of your emotionally intelligent strategic plan
• Chartered financial analysis
• Finance economics
• Forbes and The Curious Leader value contributions