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The article on empathy I read was 3 Little Tricks to Deal With People Who Offend You. Something they brought up that I hadn't really considered before is that getting angry when someone offends you is like having a 2-year-old fit because you are only thinking about your own feelings and not the other person's. This is funny (I think everything just seems funny to me today), but makes a lot of sense.
The section on giving them a mental hug is similar to something I already do (except for me there's no hugging involved). I try to calm down and think about what other people are thinking and what they are going through that leads to their behavior. I try to just let as much of it go as I can. When someone is being ridiculous in line at a store in front of me and taking way more time than it should to make a purchase, I try to think about the fact that I'm not in a hurry and they likely have a need for whatever it is they are doing.
Something I plan to try is to pretend I'm floating down a stream when driving. I thought it was really interesting that pretending the other cars were twigs and leaves in a stream made them not get angry. I could use more peace when I drive. Sometimes I do a breathing meditation if I get too stressed out while driving.
Just to say thank you for this, Angela! I ran out of time and need to add some more challenges (it's on my long to-do list...), so I am glad you were able to find one hear you liked. About two-year-olds: another way to think about that is the lizard-brain, and needing to watch out in case your lizard-brain takes over (all reaction, no reason)... we need to be on the lookout both for lizards and two-year-olds ha ha. Happy Friday!
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