Then truth hit me like a 90 mph fastball: Nobody gives a shit about anything except how they feel. Feeling good is the most important thing to everyone, everywhere, at all times. We are choosing our words, actions, and behaviors in order to achieve a feeling that we deem positive. There’s nothing more important than feeling how we want to feel. And people determine whether or not you love them by how well they feel you honor their feelings.
There are other inherent questions attached to Does it matter to you how I feel? If the answer is yes, then the next unspoken question is How much?
And then, What behavior alterations are you willing to make to show me how much?
And what parts of your personal agenda are you willing to let go of in order to apply that energy to my agenda?
Are you willing to put your thoughts and feelings aside in order to care for mine?
In essence, people want you to behave differently so they can feel better. How much you’re willing to change will prove to them how much you love them.