There are times when I become angry or annoyed or frustrated with people. This is ALWAYS caused by my internal state, not by their actions. No one can make me angry without my permission.
When I find myself in this situation, I have a choice to make. I can allow the anger to drain my energy, consume my thoughts and steal my joy, or I can choose to rise above it. The way to do that is to interrupt my thought patterns with new ideas.
When I'm angry, the story I tell myself is always incomplete. A sort of emotional tunnel vision takes over and I refuse to see any evidence that contradicts my black and white views. But if a seed of truth can make it past my mental filter, the anger can dissipate.
Sometimes this seed of truth is sown by another person. I might be talking about the situation with someone I love, and he or she may kindly remind me that I'm far from perfect. Or perhaps something will be said that makes me laugh, and the negative emotion will release. Perhaps an insight into the other side of the situation will be offered, helping me see a little more clearly what seemed perfectly clear before.
Rising above negative emotions is a choice that anyone can make. It takes practice, and there will be ups and downs along the way, but the results are well worth the effort.
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