I Just Want to Scream!!
Do you ever have those moments or even days where there is someone or many people who drive you up the wall to the point you want to SCREAM?
We may call them idiots, scumbag, lazy, incompetent, stupid. They frustrate us, annoy us and give us headaches. They can be energy vampires, sucking the life out of us. They can be family, partners, business associates, bosses, and even strangers.
There are times I just shake my head and wonder what is wrong with people? I am sure you do the same.
But, I know I cannot change anyone. I can only change myself from within and deflect what does not work for me and hope things change between us as a result.
How can this be done, you may ask?
It starts with intention. Every morning I wake up and take some quiet time to intentionally set my day by keeping my thoughts on positive images and feelings. Then I decide on what my boundaries are and how close I will let someone come to the edge. Speaking with confidence and having a voice to set the stage for how the experience will unfold is key.
Sometimes an experience will run over and over in my mind. Does this sound familiar?
It is the perfect opportunity to stop the wheels from turning and face the anger, disappointment, sadness, feelings of unfairness or whatever is causing the tapes to play.
Is it me or is it them?
If it is them, no need to continue the rant in my head. Instead, I must find ways to stop the behavior causing the distress. Not always an easy task, right?
If it is me, time to do some soul searching and determine what it is I am thinking, doing or not doing that causes someone to believe they can act that way towards me. Also, not always an easy task.
Ever notice the same experience may occur over and over, many times with different people. It makes me chuckle when I realize, for example, it is the third time I am having THIS experience. Something must change! Have you been there, done that?
Change is the catalyst to be embraced for a shift in an experience.
After years of proactive listening and looking within for answers, I no longer feel I need to SCREAM (most of the time). But I do still have to redirect others and stand firm in my boundaries. It makes life a little easier and often more enjoyable.
Screaming is okay, but how long do you want to exhaust yourself over other people?
Consider your sanity and peace of mind.
What would you do differently to have a more peaceful existence?
Everything can be taken from a man or a woman but one thing: the last of human freedoms to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.
~Victor E. Frankl
*This article was previously published on bizcatalyst360.com and is republished here with permission.
