This morning I shared a cup of coffee and some great conversation with a dear friend of mine.
She told me that she just celebrated her 19 year anniversary with the love of her life. As a gift, she decided to write 19 reasons why she still loved him – one reason for each year they were together. It was truly a precious gift.
That gave me an idea. What if I flip the switch and think about the people in my life who actually annoy me? You know what I’m talking about – it could be that co-worker who won’t stop chatting, or that boss who doesn’t give you credit for all your hard work, or that friend who only talks about herself and never asks how you are doing?
What if I take a closer look at all those people who tend to aggravate me and list just 5 things that are good about them? It could be something as simple as “they have a sweet smile” or something more obvious like “they bring brownies to work for everyone to enjoy.” I could even work on substituting words for their annoying behavior, like:
- Cheap could be replaced by Thrifty and Budget Minded
- Gossipy could be replaced by Informative
- Unfocused could be replaced by Unpredictable and Fun
It just may help you see them in a different light. If nothing else, it can turn your annoyance into tolerance. I’m not sure if it will work, but I’m willing to give it a try. What do you think? Are you willing to join me by looking at the annoying people in your life a little differently? The photo I’ve included can work as a wordsmith to help get you started. Let me know how it goes.
Categories: Personal Development Positive Attitude Professional Development Professional Speaker
Tags: Annoying Behavior, Positive Thinking, Professional Speaker
