When That Girl was in high school, when I'd get "definite" about some issue, she would say, "Calm down! It's not that deep." Of course, those issues often involved some misbehavior on her part!
But really, aren't most things we get all worked up about not all that important? We have to learn to choose our battles, as they say. Or, as I like to say, you have to choose your own reaction. You can choose to be angry, or you can choose to say, "Well, it is what it is."
It used to exasperate That Girl when she'd say that someone had "made her mad," and I'd tell her, "No, you chose to be mad." For the most part, people just do what they do, and they're too wrapped up in themselves to bother to purposely make you angry.
That doesn't mean you have to accept, agree with, or condone whatever it is, but what good does it do you to allow yourself to be angry and start shouting, which blocks logical thought and civil discourse. It doesn't do your blood pressure or your digestive system any favors, either, and you'll probably regret the things you say and the loss of control .
Anger itself isn't good or bad, but rather how we choose to express it. You have to figure out just how truly deep the problem really is, then decide how to go about changing it.
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This post is part of the Five-Minute Friday link-up. Today's writing prompt was "DEEP." For more information on Five-Minute Friday, click here.
Wise words here, dear Ruth: "...shouting, which blocks logical thought and civil discourse."
ReplyDeleteParenting has taught me so much about communication. I tend to learn the hard way. But I learned.
Blessings ~ Wendy (from FMF link)