Adulting: Not My Best Moments...

A recently experienced a very ugly side of myself.

And unfortunately, some close friends saw it too.

I won’t go into detail, but I do want to share what I learned from the experience. Because I think we all might find ourselves in my same position again and again. Because of…well… life.

In my particular case, I had been going non-stop and interacting with multiple people. A lot was being required of me. On top of that, I hadn’t had a good night sleep, was physically worn out, and concerned for a dear friend of mine going through an awful situation.

And then I found myself being awful. And I said words I wish I had never said. Have you been there too?

After a good night sleep, I did some reflection. And I realized (once again) that we, as humans, just have to know our limits. In my case, I had reached mine, and I needed to enjoy some time away from “it” all and very importantly, get some physical rest.

I’m not saying we should never push our limits. Life may require this of us all. But I believe that there are moments you should realize you have extended yourself, and then proceed with caution. I find it’s best, if possible, to consciously:

1. Recognize that I am emotionally charged

2. Not make any serious decisions

3. Politely disengage from others (aka shutting my overactive mouth!)

These three guidelines have helped me avoid hurting myself and others. But I have to deliberately hold them close to me, just as I would a bottle of much needed prescription medicine. That way, when difficult situations come, I don’t just work my way out of them, I grow out of them.

“If you’re going to grow, you have to be intentional.” Curt Kampmeier