Check yourself. Just Stop! Take a moment and think before you act so that you are in control of yourself, your emotions, and your responses. It is easy to justify unpleasant or rude behavior with excuses of being tired, overworked, and stressed. Sometimes, we take out the irritations of the moment or the day out on our family, children, co-workers, or even the family dog or cat. What is the emotional tone of your family or your life? Is it harsh, cold, unforgiving, withdrawn, warm, loving, and embracing?
Take each day to generate new verbal and non-verbal responses that will allow you to build your capacity to be gentler, kinder, more compassionate, peaceful, and loving person. This is a skillset that takes intentional rehearsal and practice - just like playing sports or working out. If you find yourself acting out often out of irritation, anger, or even rage, reflect about what excuse you make OK to allow someone else to be the brunt of your bad attitude or worse - your bad behavior. Decide that no excuse is worth the cost of emotional vomiting or venting public or private, especially on those you love. Do the hard work and the heart work to hold yourself to a higher standard. Raise the bar on yourself, your attitude, and your behavior.
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