Originally Posted by
venuscat 
I have a thing I do to keep a check on myself....I have done this for a long time and it works for me....when I notice that situations people or things are making me feel angry...I stop and ask myself how many things am I angry about? One? Two? If it's more than two I absolutely know it's me....I am bringing it. I am creating my own stress....
So my self-talk (right now for example, my whole house is vibrating, the walls floors...the noise is deafening....gas line....ours right now....this has made me so furious in the past weeks)...so my self-talk is gosh this is a big job for these guys, and it is taking them so much longer than they anticipated, and that would be very frustrating. They are redoing the gas pipeline in the whole city....this is a huge project...I can only imagine the extra costs involved as it goes over so badly....wow....glad I'm not paying tax here yet.
And....lucky they are so nice, I really like them, made friends with the head of the crew. Looked at pictures of his dogs, know his marital history....he he.....always compiling stories.
At which stage I am not angry at all anymore....I am thinking pleasant thoughts and smiling through the noise.
Hope you didn't mind my diatribe.
♥♥
Suze!
That is really good advice and I think it's one of those things that takes work but can change your whole outlook. I love it. I know that a lot of that angry was about judging and about black/white thinking. It fuels itself into a frenzy and is just damaging to myself and everyone else.
I spoke to a colleague today about my boss and she pointed out a couple of things I hadn't considered. I also know that there are other issues involved with my brother/parents situation that I wasn't concentrating on - bottom line too, it's their lives.
I went back to my Buddhist stuff about people who make you angry are a gift to help you cultivate patience and compassion. That felt like a bit of a stretch yesterday but I can mange that more today!!
Valuable lessons - but wow! the craving
It was right in there the minute the opportunity arose but I saw it and knew what was happening. Not a simple thing this addiction.
Suze xxxx