There are times when sharing doesn’t feel like caring.

Although nobody likes a miser, it has to be said that sometimes being generous comes at a greater price than we expect. There are plenty of scenarios where it is impolite to refuse a request that another person asks of us, but it is easy to get stuck in a situation where we expect to give a little and actually end up giving a lot. It can be difficult not to feel used when we find ourselves in this scenario.

Nonetheless, one of the most underrated skills we can develop is learning when an issue is something we should escalate, and when to let bygones be bygones. If there is a concern that this is going to turn into a repeated pattern of behavior, and it really is an unacceptable transgression, it is important to take action to avoid that. If it is a one-off event or not that serious, we need to take a look at our own attitude. While this process sounds simple enough, it isn’t always something that we are capable of in the moment. It is easy to let our more instinctual emotions cloud our judgment somehow.