Recently, I had a situation that made me keenly aware that everything in life — people, business deals, sweaters, fine china — has its own unique care instructions.

Sure, you can throw a “hand‑wash only” sweater in the dryer a few times, but we all know what happens next. It shrinks, unravels, and eventually has to be retired. Then, because we liked it, we go out and buy another sweater just like it — and of course, we repeat the same cycle. Ignore the label, pay the price.

It made me wonder … how often do we really take the time to read the care label? Most of us don’t. We cut them off, peel off those little stickers, or assume we know what to do — and then act surprised when something doesn’t hold up.

Are we also doing that with people?

Every relationship, friendship, business partnership, and organization has its own set of care instructions. Some people need gentleness. Others crave truth, space, or consistency. Some situations require patience and regular maintenance. And if no one’s reading those “labels,” it’s no wonder we end up with breakups, lost friendships, collapsed deals, and struggling teams.

Maybe I will design some custom dog tags where our care instructions are engraved. Something chic, of course — maybe “Handle with honesty,” or “Machine wash cold: sensitive soul inside.” That way, people could read us before deciding if they can care for us properly.

Since that doesn’t exist (yet), we’re left with something even trickier — emotional awareness. Taking the time to slow down, to see the person in front of us, and to adjust how we show up based on what they actually need, not what we assume they need.

It takes skill and a little agility to do that — to shift gears between personalities and situations throughout our day. But when you do, people notice. They soften. They feel cared for.

So this week, I’m reminding myself: before I toss another “hand‑wash only” relationship into life’s emotional dryer on high heat, I’m going to pause and read the care label.

XX,

MG