3 Ways to De-Funk Yourself…
“Let it go. If someone or something is making you mad…let it go.”
So began my previous post. It makes sense, huh? (Yeah…so do the other 10 zillion quotes floating around out there in Twitterville and Faceland.) I read those quotes…I love those quotes…hell I collect those quotes…but I rarely live them because I don’t know HOW.
While the above quote is from my own head it’s clearly a mash up of the thousands of quotes I’ve read over the years about keeping mole hills, mole hills. Not terribly original…but effective if you can pull it off. Here’s how…
3 Ways to De-Funk Your Funky Self…
The last time I was acting like a big, fat baby over God-knows-what I was able to turn it around pretty quickly by doing 3 simple things. I’m a self-talker…and this is what I said to myself*:
- Stop replaying the story in your head. Our minds can’t hold 2 thoughts at once so do something that will keep you from sitting and stewing. Grab a book, watch TV, write a cathartic letter to the Universe…hell run around the house naked for all I care. It doesn’t much matter what you do as long as it has little or nothing to do with the source of your anger.
- Do not retell your crappy stories to anyone. Every time you tell your story you add more life to it. The more you tell it the more monstrous it becomes. Kill it early by zipping your lip. Your audience has their own problems…don’t add to them.
- Get back to the basics. Reacquaint yourself with all the great things in your world, starting with the most obvious. (And the most overlooked…) Can you walk, see, hear, eat, and go to the bathroom without too much effort? Do you have a place to live and enough food to eat? What about friends and family? You have those things? I’m sorry…what were you so mad about again?
While I haven’t made them a part of me yet (I’m working on it)…this approach is road tested, simple to remember, and it actually works. Imagine what your life would be like if you could let things go sooner rather than later. Better I bet.
Give them a try and let me know if it works for you…and by all means share your own. A guy can use all the help he can get!
Peace. (Baby)
*I’m not kidding. I normally sort through my issues talking out loud to myself as I’m driving. If you see me driving around and it looks like I’m singing…8 times out of 10 I’m actually talking. I recommend this too. Screw what the cool people think…
WOW….so simple yet so difficult to do…made me think…this could be my new daily mantra…thanks!!
Makes me think to, Alaine! I think I’ll read it again just to be sure I got it right. Might need it today
As usual…thanks for stopping by!
it is always a pleasure to read your writings and to “stop by”…i learn alot!!
So crazy… Sometimes I read your posts and they honestly could not come at a more perfect time. Thanks for putting things in perspective once again, Andy! I NEED to get better at usign some of these strategies–they DO work… I’ve used one or more of them before! But somehow it’s so difficult to remember them when I should!! (and every now and then it feels good to just have my pity party! Even when it doesn’t get me anywhere! Those are the days a good sleep just helps things seem more clear too…)
I’m right with you there, Angie! Take yesterday for example. I was an *ss for most of the day…knew it…remembered to do this…and FINALLY it turned around…but whoa!
I also think we are allowed to have the pity party thing. I don’t know that it’s all bad in my opinion. As long as we don’t STAY there I know for me at least it has it’s place.
Glad it showed up at the right time! Thanks so much and be good. (I know you are…)
I read quotes and have them too but…yep it isn’t always easy to follow them though you think they are good. I mean well when I save them or write them down but…when in the moment I rarely go get them and read em to remind me.
I love your insight Andy and love reading all things you write.
Good ideas here today.
Thank you very much, Amy. Those quotes are great, huh? Don’t seem to stay with us for more than a minute or 2. Then again maybe if we read enough of ‘em they’ll all gather together and we’ll remember
I love that you read what I write. Makes me feel good. Have a great day!
You’re right Andy. What you feed attention to becomes your life. We all have a choice.
No doubt, Agnes. Simple. I remember a time when I felt like I had no choice but to be sad. If only I could take that time back…but I guess that’s how we learn. (Hence the start of Thirty Seconds, though.)
I hope everything is UP for you. Love your blog. (So if anyone else is reading this check it out. It’s kind of addicting…)
Well yes, I think sometimes sadness is the only appropriate response and there’s not much we can do about that. And that’s fine, it is what it is, you and I have both been there and lived through it and somehow survived it.
But as far as hanging onto unimportant upsets? Yes we do have a choice.