Did someone say something that sort of offends you? So what? That’s their problem. Did someone look at you the wrong way? Who cares? Replace the petty thoughts of anger, jealousy and spite with thoughts of strength.
Maybe you didn’t get some kind of recognition you thought you deserved. That could very well be true, but will your resentment, cynicism and desire for revenge be of any positive value to you? No matter what malicious intentions others may have, you can decide whether or not to let them affect you. You can give in to the pettiness, spend your energy fighting it or worrying about it, or you can rise above it, freeing your energy and effectiveness for more meaningful things, for accomplishment, for fulfillment of your dreams.
Of course there are things that make you angry. Certainly you can take steps to change those things you find unacceptable. But that does not mean that you must live and act out of anger. Spite and pettiness are just not effective strategies for success, and the farther you get away from them, the better. Anger can be useful in calling your attention to matters that require your response. But anger itself is not an effective response.
Your anger hurts you much more than it affects anyone else. When your energy and awareness are tightly wrapped around anger, you’re not much good for anything else. There are many things beyond your control that can be perfectly legitimate reasons for anger. Yet the amount of time you maintain that anger is completely up to you.
The more quickly you move on, the better off you’ll be. When you feel the first sensation of anger, let that be a reminder to let it go. Take a slow, deep breath and remind yourself of how much more effective you can be by maintaining a positive, results-oriented approach. Decide, in a cool, calm and thoughtful manner, exactly what response would be the most powerful and valuable, and then make it happen.
Rise above the little, insignificant things. You’re better than that. Your time is more important than that. Focus your thoughts in the direction of fulfillment and accomplishment. The ridiculous actions of others are not your concern. If they’re causing a problem for you, then get yourself in a position where you won’t be affected by them. Focus on the truly important things, and you’ll be much more effective in everything you do. Don’t let the foolish, thoughtless, destructive actions of others catch you in a trap of anger. Take note of the anger, let it go, put your focus on being your best, and you’ll surely emerge as a winner.
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