We've all been there. We leave the house and whether by conscious effort or the luck of the day, things are going well. Until they aren't. It's an interaction you usually don't see coming. Maybe a disgruntled customer/patient... maybe it's the impatient grocery shopper behind you in line... maybe it's someone on the other end of a phone call. No matter - we've all encountered the asshole who's only purpose appears to be ruining our day.
But what if we just didn't? What if we took a stance against the assholes of the world and just kept living our best lives. This is one of those things that is easier said than done, especially as autumn fades to winter and our natural cheer is dulled by the dark and cold... BUT, it can be done!
I'm not saying I go as far as ignoring all negativity in my life. It definitely still gets to me, but I try to be more aware of the time and energy I give the incident. Typically, I vent to someone who will best understand the situation and get their opinion on the severity of offense. Then, I do my personal best to leave it there with the minimal amount of time and energy the situation warrants. By compartmentalizing the offense and the negativity, I can still allow myself to feel upset by it, but recognize it has no place in the rest of my day.
This may not work for everyone, this may be absolutely horrible advice... but I'll tell you what. I'm a lot happier and a lot less stressed on the days I can pull this off. Maybe you can be too.
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