Even though the temperatures are colder than the dark side of the moon, there’s still plenty of things going on in our lives to get us hot under the collar. Here are 5 Habits to Develop Pressure Cooker Resistance.
This too shall pass. It’s true. Just when you feel like bursting into a fit of rage, expletives, or tears, remember, you’ve had a myriad of tremendous days in your life and many more to come. At the bottom of every valley begins the path upwards to the next peak. Life is fluid and mutable; to everything there is a season. So, keep calm and let the maelstrom pass you by.
There has got to be a reason, even if I can’t see it right now. It may be just to teach you humility or to remember how other people go about their lives in a state of tension and panic and to put your minor irritation or inconvenience in place. You may figure out the why, and you may not this side of eternity. But since we are all interconnected and interdependent, try and remember that the universe is a collective. It helps give some perspective when you feel like the world is caving in.
Look for grace. One of my favorite lines is “success is failure turned inside out” and often what aids in the transformation is grace. Grace is undeserved favor. In an age when we are so highly regulated and judged both by the court of public opinion and in the myriad of rules and laws, it’s important to seek out, ask for, and receive grace. There’ll be times when you need it, no matter how together you are. We need more grace in this world and less condemnation which only serves to bring events and tempers to their explosive boiling point. Remember to cut others a break, including yourself. Less lecturing; more loving.
Never say something permanently stupid because you are temporarily upset. Oh, how the mighty have gotten themselves hung by the tongue. When our righteous indignation rears up, we can say some things or make some decisions we surely will regret later. They say danger is one letter away from anger. When you’re tempted to go to DEFCON four, that’s the time to turn off your mouth and just breathe. Nothing good ever comes from saying something bad.
What can I do differently so this doesn’t repeat itself? Einstein once famously said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” Many of the things that trigger us are not first-time offenders. In fact, we are well aware that this is not the first time something has caused us aggravation. What makes it worse is that we now start beating ourselves up, as well as others. Should this happen, step back and try and unpack why this event or person happened into your circumference again. And then analyze if there’s not a way you can prevent it from happening again.
Keep your pressure gauge from popping. There’s enough hot air and friction to make anyone’s blood boil. But be the one who keeps cool because in the grand scheme of things, this too shall pass.
