How You React When Things Go Wrong

February 16, 2011

Interview with Judith Orloff, M.D., author of the book Emotional Freedom: Liberate Yourself from Negative Emotions and Transform Your Life

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Mike Carruthers:
Are you one of those people who gets upset and angry if someone cuts you off on the highway or has 16 items in the 15 items or less aisle at the store?

Dr. Orloff:
People are going to cut you off all of the time, people are going to irritate you allof the time – you have a choice about how you respond.
 

Dr. Judith Orloff, author of the book Emotional Freedom...

If you’re happy doing it the old way then stay that way. But most people aren’t because it creates stress hormones, it makes bitter people, it causes muscle tension and aggravation. Who wants to live that way?

When you realize you’re doing yourself harm by getting all worked up in these situations it makes it easier to change your reaction. In fact it can be fun; Judith says the next time you’re in the grocery store line…

Let people go in front of you and then you could see what happens. Because if you stand in that line and you’re upset and you’re snitty and you’re irritated that’s going to make the line go slower – but if you can really create a more positive attitude in the line everyone in the line relaxes including the cashier and it moves quicker – it brings your energy up when you do that.

And there’s another benefit to not getting all worked up when someone cuts you off.

You know that person who cuts in front of you is ready for a fight. If when you give them something else it’s almost as if you’ve gotten them in a different way, but in a good way – because their totally surprised you’re not engaging with their drama.
 

To hear the complete unedited interview, click here