To Stress or Not To Stress...That is the Question

Your choice makes all the difference in the outcome.
Working with people who are angry, difficult and "acting out their pain" in life is probably one of the most amazing opportunities for you to practice the art of "taking nothing any human being says or does personally". Think about it, what would your life look like if you were able to remain connected to a place of safety within while being surrounded by a bunch of "sharks" in the work place? How would that shift your experience of peace in the midst of chaos? Believe me, it takes practice and a lot of inner dialog as you stand before a human who is throwing up all of their life frustrations in front of you. When you take the position of the "observer" vs. the "reactor" you give yourself the opportunity and space to choose your response. When you realize, truly realize and embrace the truth that any negative thing a human being does has everything to do with their past pain or fears of the future, you just happen to be in the way, you are truly free to identify and adjust your perception of the situation.
I encourage my clients to play the inner narrator, when surrounded by angry, frustrated people which actually becomes quite humorous: "Wow, look at this human being unloading all of their trash in front of me...look at how red their face is getting, that looks uncomfortable...I wonder how they got to be so angry in life?...Oh well, it has nothing to do with me, I'm not going to give them the power to rock my boat today." When you have a spirit of curiosity and fascination versus attachments and assumptions, you will find an endless reservoir of opportunity for learning and growth while staying grounded. Bottom line; don't give away to any human being what belongs between you and God, like your sense of self worth and inner confidence. One of my childhood lessons: You only feel inferior by your own consent; you can apply this to any emotional response. As you enter into each new day of life explore ways you can remain curious and fascinated about all aspects of life that unfold before you and notice how your perception of life shifts for the better.
Lauren E Miller