You have a lot of stress coming at you from all angles. Do you find yourself yelling at the other drivers, even if it is just inside your car? Do you get angry when you are in a long line? Do you get upset when a stranger says something rude to you? In other words, do you stress out over things you can’t control?
When you do this, these things and people are controlling you. They are your boss. They rule you.
People say that others can’t make you feel a certain way. Well, that’s not entirely true. They can. Let’s say someone comes up and yells at you about what a bad job you are doing. Well, no sane person would be okay with that behavior. No sane person would not let that get to them.
But what I’m addressing here is on a much smaller scale. I’m talking about the little things that irritate you. Let them go. You can train yourself not to get overworked about these things.
Here’s a scenario. a person cuts you off in traffic but you aren’t in an accident. Your first thought is ******! How about next time you take a breath and say to yourself, “I’m not letting him ruin this moment,” or “I’m glad I wasn’t in an accident,” or some other positive thought. After using this method for awhile (wish I could give you a timeframe!) you will get to where little things don’t bother you as much as they used to.
Yes, that lady was rude in the restaurant, and yes, there is a man at your office you can’t stand, and yes, your ex is obnoxious. But you can’t control them. However, you can control yourself, so fire those bosses and get back your control!
(Dr. Susan Harrison is author of A Delightfully Short Stress Relief Guide for the Busiest Women, available in ebook or print formats.)
