Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference. ~Winston Churchill
A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly. You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely. ~Roald Dahl
Notice a theme? Today's message is brought to you by the letter A! A is for Attitude and Anger! Anecdote: This past week has been "testy" for me. I have been planning an event for the Howard University graduate and professional students and I am realizing the true load of what I have taken on. The opportunity is great but there have been days where I was so frustrated I turned off my phone and stopped answering emails. Although I have enjoyed the process and I appreciate ALL of the overwhelming love and support, I will be glad when it is over!! What does this have to do with you? There's always a message behind my qualms, stick with me. I want to encourage you all to discover your "angry self." Sounds crazy right? I know. Get to know what you become when you are angry. I am talking about all levels of anger and frustration ranging from "Didn't she hear me say NO PICKLES?!" to "What do you mean you hit my car and you don't have auto insurance?!" Pause yourself. I am not encouraging you all to go out and find things that make you angry but I am encouraging you to be more tuned in to your feelings the next time you feel angry or frustrated. Do not be afraid to own your anger. As an African American woman, I try to be careful about my angry moments for fear of being labelled "an angry black woman." I think this mentality has led to me denying my anger and that is something I am working to change. I learned something about anger yesterday, there is POWER in recognizing it. Recognizing and acknowledging your anger means you will have more control over your behaviors and that allows you to be honest about them. Anger does not excuse irrational behaviors but if you can recognize your irrational thoughts before they become actions you win. Charlie.
The more you know about what makes you angry or frustrated the more you learn about who you are. For example, yesterday after a GMA interview during which he was asked questions about Rihanna, Chris Brown reportedly became enraged and broke a window. While he has a team of handlers and PR people, there is only so much those people can do. It is up to Chris to understand that questions about his past will always come up but he has to control how they affect him. If he thinks such questions will anger him he should learn how to skirt them a teensy bit better and deflect their impact. I understand everyone doesn't get as angry as Chris and some of you are as sweet as apple pie but everyone has things that push their buttons. Recognize those things. Recognize that you are human and you are allowed to get frustrated, to a point. Harness your anger, do not allow it to control you. Do not allow your anger to overpower your rationale. Regardless of your personality, when you realize you are becoming angry, allow yourself to step away from the situation that has angered you and take proactive steps to return to a state of tranquility. I'm serious. The next time you find yourself angered or frustrated ask yourself a few questions:
What made you feel that way?
How do you interact with people?
Are there factors that exascerbate you anger and/or frustration?
Do you acknowledge you anger?
Could you have done some to prevent it?
How do you calm down?
What can you do to better handle the situation if it comes up again?
Don't be a drag, just be a queen!
Random note: RIP Elizabeth Taylor a true beauty and all around classy woman.
Today's Song Choice: Lauryn Hill-Every Ghetto, Every City
Love!
No comments:
Post a Comment