Hi!
I devised this metaphor after a couple of therapy sessions while working through a challenging situation.
I recommend situational therapy. Sometimes, we need to work through something, but we don’t need deep work.
I needed a way to think about the situation to help me stay grounded, maintain my energy, remain outward-focused, and continue serving others.
Metaphors and visualization techniques help me gain context and act accordingly instead of having lots of words swirling in my head, which typically leads to confusion and fear, which always leads to upset.
During these sessions, I thought of the bakery ticket system, a simple way to visualize priorities and how to interact with the people in my life.
You know the routine if you’ve ever stepped into an old-fashioned bakery or deli (back when the digital age didn’t exist). You walk in, grab a little paper ticket from the dispenser, and wait for your number to be called. Some numbers are called quickly, while others seem to take forever, and some poor souls might find themselves stuck with #92 while the counter is still on #24. IYKYK.
Life can feel chaotic, especially when the demands, opinions, and drama of others pull you in different directions.
But here’s the truth: your life is yours to manage. It’s your bakery. You decide how it operates, what’s on the menu, and—most importantly—who gets served first.
Think of it this way: everyone in your life takes a bakery ticket. The people with the highest priority (at any given moment)—your family, your closest friends, a situation, etc.—have the lowest numbers. They are at the front of the line, near the counter (you), where you dedicate your time, energy, and attention.
Then, there are others—the manipulators, the victims, the ones who deplete your energy, or the situations that can wait. They end up with high ticket numbers. They’re at the back of the line, waiting. For how long? That’s up to you, the owner of your life, your bakery.
The beauty of this metaphor?
It’s your life, your bakery, and you set the rules. For instance, if someone harms you, doesn’t accept your boundaries, and doesn’t act accordingly, they receive a higher ticket number. Conversely, if someone demonstrates genuine care, empathy, reciprocity, and whatever else you care about, they can get a lower number and move closer to the counter.
You choose where and when to spend your time and energy. Give all that time and energy to the people with the lowest number closest to the counter.
But before you go, here’s something to think about—you’re also in someone else’s bakery. What ticket number do you want—a low number or a high number? How do you present yourself in the lives of others?
You can invite people with a higher ticket number closer to the counter at any time. It’s your life, your bakery, and your rules.
The world is full of people doing all kinds of shenanigans. You can’t control that.
You can control your bakery—who gets your time and energy and who has to wait at the end of the line.
Run your life, your bakery, the way you want.
The ticket machine is in your hands.
With love and encouragement,
Jeanne 🌺
P.S. If you’re thinking about earning remotely but don’t know where to start, I coach people 50+ on how to take their skills online and work where and when they want. Let’s chat!
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