These
days getting angry is all the rage.We’ve got road rage,restaurant
rage,supermarket rage,phone rage,hospital rage...it’s outrageous ! Here’s what’s
interesting about rage...
It’s
usually not what happens to us that makes us angry.
It’s
when we expect one thing to happen but something else happens..
EXAMPLE:
You
are driving on the highway and you decide to change lanes.
You
EXPECT the guy in the next lane to
make room for you-but he doesn’t!
You
EXPECT him to be considerate-but he
isn’t.So you get mad.
The
problem here is not the other driver-it is your
expectation that he should be nice! Expectation sets us up for disappointment
and anger.
Most
people won’t think like you and your plans will often go wrong.So the fewer
expectations you have about the world-and even the weather-the better life
gets!
Three
more tips for keeping your cool:
1. HUMILITY
HELPS ! Angry people tend to believe that a)
they are more important than everyone else, and b) that they are always right.When they don’t get what they want,they
get angry! Relax a little.Allow for others to sometimes get what they want.
2. DECIDE
WHAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT in your life,say,on a scale from one to ten.You might
rank having enough foot to eat at 9 out of 10.
You
might rank having a job at 7 out of 10,idiot drivers at 2 out of 10,and slow
elevetors at zero.When you have thing perspective,you don’t get upset over
details.
3. ACCEPT
WHAT IS.Angry people love to argue with reality! They say things like, “It
shouldn’t be raining!” or “Thieves shouldn’t steal!” It is a waste of
energy.When you argue with reality,reality wins!!!
IN
A NUTSHELL
There are six and half billion other people on
planet earth.For them to sometimes get what they want,we sometimes need to go
without.That’s no reason to shout at people and beat them up.
By:Andrew Matthews