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Over time, I’ve lost a lot of patience. And that’s coming from someone who has a lot of it.
As much as people have told me that I seem like a level-headed person, they would have a seemingly different impression if they heard the thoughts going on inside my head.
I think we’ve all been there — just as you’re having a reasonably good day without any disruptions, here comes an angry customer at the bank who, of course, gets on line right behind you. This person was already angry, and looking to spread the negativity fast. What they’re really hoping for, in my experience at least, is for their comments to get you all riled up and angry with them.
So, how can we avoid these unpleasant interactions when the universe seems to strategically place these people in your path?
I must admit that I wasn’t always “good” at not letting people ruin my day.
To this day, I don’t understand why people feel the need to spread their negativity and problems around like they can’t control themselves. But it may not be something I’ll ever comprehend, so it’s useless to spend time wondering why. To be fair, I believe everyone has the right to feel whatever they may be feeling. So if you’re angry, be angry. I can’t control that, nor do I want to.
But it becomes a different beast altogether when you feel the need to spread your anger and treat others as if they have anything to do with your problems.
I try my best to be empathetic, but by no means do I want to take part in your emotional roller coaster for the day. Basically, if I’m not bothering you with my problems, please don’t bother me with yours.
It took a long time and constant mental practice to make sure I’m not bothered by unpleasant people and the energy they drag around. With that being said, I’ve found a few things that have helped along the way.
‣ Prepare your mind
I like to think of this as suiting up for a battle. Often when we expect a great day and something unfavorable happens, we get extremely let down. But if we prepare…
