Is There Discontinuity in Your Reactions?

You know the expression "flying off the handle" and probably found yourself doing it more times than you would like to admit, but how often has it gotten you what you wanted?  In the heat of the moment it may have felt like a win.  You might have released some tension, but what longer term impact did this outburst have on you and your relationships?  Of course flying off the handle doesn't necessarily have to be explosive.  Some people communicate their ire in subtle or passive aggressive ways, but the key to changing your reactions is recognizing where the infraction sits on the scale of importance to you.

We know everyone views personal interactions through their own set of lenses, which can distort our perception based on our experiences.  Something disastrous to one person, like an expense report being overdue, seems like a minor incident to someone else.  Of course, understanding how we each perceive things differently is a powerful communication tool in helping get our point across effectively, but before you spend your energy being heard invest time into understanding why this issue pushes your button.

Shades of gray

It's easy to be blinded by a bias towards seeing only one outcome, often focusing on the negative, but learning to see the numerous events on the periphery will help alleviate anxiety and give you the motivation to achieve more.  Black and white thinking...learn to see the gray areas.  Look beyond the binary or single outcome to find alternate possibilities.