Suppose you and a friend had a disagreement and left feeling misunderstood and angry. After having time to calm down, you reflect on the interaction. You realize that you are the one who overstepped the situation and hurt your friend’s feeling.
It will blow over.
A walk outside can help
Last week, we broke down the 5-step process of getting upset. We used the example of a father trying to get his daughter ready for school. He wanted to remain calm in a stressful situation, but instead became anxious and angry. It ended with him yelling at his daughter, her crying, and him feeling like a bad father.
Don’t we all want a better handle on our emotions? However, at times you are not able to make that choice to behave like you want and you end up feeling badly about yourself. You can learn skills to help you handle emotional situations differently.
We often read fiction as a form of escape, but I recently read a novel that was both entertaining and enlightening. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel speaks to choices we make in life and the impact they have.
The main character, Kirsten, was just a child when a deadly flu killed 99% of the world’s population in a matter of days. She survived by hiding in her home with her brother until the contagion had passed. When they finally ventured into the world, she carried with her a comic book and the memory of the famous actor who gave it to her. The object and the memory remained with her for decades, shaping her life. Continue reading
A couple was walking along the boardwalk at the beach when a black cat ran across their path. The man said, “OH NO, Is this a bad omen?” His wife responded, “But you like kitties!”
That much was true. He remembered that as a child he had cats, and some of them were black. As an adult, however, he had forgotten the fun and joy he once associated with cats. As he moved through life, he experienced a number of bad and dangerous things. Continue reading
