A New Way to Combat Frustration? Kindness

I felt myself getting so frustrated, but a voice pushed back.

There have been a few instances recently where I’ve found myself increasingly frustrated. An interaction with someone, a text exchange, an Instagram comment — any sort of conversation that can be misconstrued.

This led to frustration on my part, likely due to intentions being lost in translation. Did this person really mean this? What did they mean by that? Why haven’t they reached out?

For years, I thought “bad taste in my mouth” was just a saying until I started to experience an actual bad taste before or during an unwanted interaction. Asking myself the questions above left me frustrated and with a bad taste in my mouth.

It wasn’t until I fought through the frustration or looked at it differently that it sparked an idea.

Approach these interactions with kindness.

Kindness towards yourself. Kindness towards the other person. Kindness towards the situation in general.

The fact is, I realized within myself that these people don’t likely realize they’re making me feel frustrated. It’s not their fault I’m frustrated. I’m making myself feel frustrated. Therefore, how do I spin it mentally and physically to get out of this rut? Do the exact opposite of how I’m feeling. Be happy, don’t be mad.

I’m not saying this will help in all situations, nor will it work for everyone. But I know I’ve reacted positively to this positive spin on a frustrating situation, so I know it’s a tool I can use for myself moving forward.

Give it a try the next time you feel frustrated about a situation.