A thought by Chad Veach from his book, I Work with People (p. 67). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.)
And that is another good question in determining the way we react.
Chad says, "What circumstances or factors turn you toward the 'dark side'? Think back on times when your emotions have gotten the best of you and take note of any patterns. Leading yourself starts with knowing yourself, and part of knowing yourself is understanding the external factors that could be affecting you internally. Some factors might be specific to you and your situation, but many are probably the same things that tend to affect all of us negatively. What are some of these factors?
"To start with, unmet or urgent physical needs can trigger emotional instability. These include tiredness, hunger, hormones, stress, illness, and chronic pain, to name a few. For example, if you skipped breakfast, ate only a bag of chips for lunch, and find yourself experiencing an apocalyptic meltdown at 4:00 p.m. because the photocopier jammed again, your emotions and your body might be trying to get your attention. Snickers did a whole advertising campaign about how you’re not you when you’re hungry. The pop-culture term 'hangry' exists for a reason—we’ve all felt hunger-induced anger. Don’t blame the copier. Just get some food in your system."
He goes on, "Because hunger, exhaustion, and other physical factors can wreak havoc on your emotional state, one of the healthiest things you can do for yourself and your team is to take care of your physical needs and habits, especially in areas such as diet, rest, and stress management. Your team needs you to be fully you—the rested, happy, stable, balanced, joke-cracking, grace-giving you—not some emotionally distraught, pessimistic version of yourself. For example, consider ignoring your email inbox at night, picking up a hobby, eating breakfast rather than just inhaling a triple latte at stoplights, taking up yoga, or working from home a couple days a week. All of this is up to you: no one else can control your habits and schedule."
Here's another one, "Stress, loss, and trauma, especially over the long term, can also trigger emotional issues. We can’t avoid these things, but we can learn how to process them in a healthy way. If you’ve gone through a traumatic experience, if you’ve lost a loved one, if you and your spouse are having a lot of conflict, if you’re under a lot of pressure—whatever it is, don’t be embarrassed to ask for help. We’ve all done it, or at least we all should. Find a therapist, a coach, or a support group; connect with individuals or a community where you can be honest with your feelings and find genuine help. Get healthy on the inside so you can lead from a place of strength."
And then, he says, "Finally, difficult circumstances can trigger emotional issues. The stress and anxiety associated with factors beyond our control have a way of wearing us down, and sometimes we don’t realize what is happening. If you find yourself becoming chronically dark, pessimistic, and negative, take stock of the stressors in your life. Maybe you are facing a lot of problems at once. Maybe you are at risk of losing something valuable. Maybe you are about to let people down who depend on you. Those things are not to be taken lightly—they tend to come out in your tone, in your facial expressions, and in how you treat those around you. While you might not be able to change the circumstances, (which is precisely why you are anxious), you can recognize that you are not yourself right now, and show yourself and those around you some grace."
And that is so important for us to do, isn't it?
Yes, yes!
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