Have you ever considered what happens inside of you when you get upset?

Do you work on the outside forces or your thought patterns to correct how you feel?

It is my hope that you focus and work only on what you can control. That meaning you work on your thought patterns.

It has been said by people smarter than me that to try to change the attitudes ands behaviors of others does little good, if we fail to examine our own thought patterns. Let me give you an example from my life.

I have a neighbor that cares very little about how his property looks. Due to this it devalues what the neighboring property is worth according to real estate statistics. For years I’ve tried in polite ways to get him to understand the predicament. Sadly for all of us in the neighborhood he is like a ‘bull in a china shop’. He doesn’t listen to reason and is now trying to prove a point. He is going overboard to make sure that his property is worse than it has ever been.

Now the funny part of this, from what other people are telling me he is so annoyed with me that he will do anything to make me mad. What he does not realize is that by his actions he has allowed me to take up permanent residence in his mind without paying rent. That is quite an achievement considering he is the one trying to make me mad. You see he has missed the point.

How is this affecting me? In a very unique way he has given me full control by his ridiculous actions. At times his actions have made me smile and at other times I’ve laughed out loud.

What can you do today that will help you control your thought patterns more in a situation you are not happy with?