A good friend asked me that today. That, my dear, is a wonderful, loaded question. Well, a Liz is programmed to attack negative emotions like a super ninja. High five if you think that’s plausible!
Okay, there are a few things that have actually kept me from blowing my brains onto the wall over the past eighteen years. That may sound melodramatic, and possibly too graphic, but hey...it's the truth.
Everybody feels like a useless tool that only exists to take up space sometimes. That's a pretty nasty feeling, so this is what I do to counter those feelings.
1. This might mean I'm severely optimistic or naive, but I live for the future. It's the only thing that comforts me when I'm at my lowest point. Rather than wanting to ravenously attack either myself or the next human to walk by...I think that, "Hey, this feeling can't last forever. Negativity is a pansy, so it'll shrivel up and die soon." If I didn't think like that, one of a few things would happen:
(I’m crossing my fingers that #3 will happen…but that’s not probable.)
2. Run around in circles. If you get winded easily, run in small ones. If you’re more experienced, big circles are totally the way to go. Run around the room. Or do the running man. Maybe, if you’re daring, spin around a little (or a lot).
I swear, you’ll feel so much better. Partly because running releases endorphins, but also because you will eventually feel silly…then you’ll laugh at yourself (which also releases endorphins!). The only downside to this is if you’re clumsy, you might fall a lot (I do), but the pros still totally outweigh the cons.
Do like that little gold man. Just go ‘round and ‘round.
3. Talk about the situation. This sounds cliché, but just hold on.
Talk about whatever’s freaking you out, but make it as theatrical as possible. Rather than saying, “It’s been a bad day…” then continue sulking, say something like, “Today was so bad that Hitler could have come back and taken me hostage, and I wouldn’t have cared; it would have gotten me away from the sheer stupidity of today.”
This may only happen to me, but if I begin to tell an over dramatic story, I have to see it through until the end, or until someone shuts me up. But, if you do it right, you’ll get caught up in making the event so theatrical that what actually happened seems like a mere spec compare to what could have happened. You see? It’s perfect.
Look at this little guy. He’s just screamin’ about his terrible day.
4. Being easily amused has saved me several times. I mean, it really isn’t that hard to please me. Here’s an equation to demonstrate:
Next time you find something even slightly humorous, laugh. Laugh out loud and make yourself heard. I previously said that laughing releases endorphins…so doing that can only have a positive effect! If you’re in a bad mood and you just let yourself laugh at something idiotic, you’ll realize that the bad just isn’t so bad after all.
These things are what get me through every day. It’ll keep you from making dinosaurs attack towns and punching people in the face. Call me crazy, but it works.
Most epic picture ever at the end there. & the one with the bird is lol.
ReplyDeleteThis was a good read though, and you probably have slightly better ways of dealing with your frustrations than myself.
2. on your angry liz chart is inevitable for myself, but at least I only do 1. to children I create in my head for that specific purpose. .nod.