I’m Having Those Moments

As an INFP, I don’t like conflict, and that makes other people think that I’m a nice good girl because I let things slide. Often times, I actually do let offenses against me slide. Other times I just don’t say anything until I have nothing to say. The angry fire inside dies down, so to speak. But then there are those times. Those moments.

And this happens:

Replace the paper towel dispenser with unreliable Wi-Fi and you’ve got my day and a half.

She says it too, in the movie. She has moments, a lot of moments and I get it. I’ve been having moments too. Those moments when life feels like a series of unfortunate events. Those moments when frustration keeps mounting up with no reprieve. Those moments when I just feel like I’m being taken advantage of and I can’t do much about it except turn ugly.

It’s not just the Wi-fi (unreliable in the lobby and nonexistent in the hotel room). It’s the previous guest’s spoiled milk and leftover food in our hotel refrigerator. It’s having been very sick for the past couple of weeks. It’s 100% acetone spilling on my laptop. Did you know 100% acetone melts plastic like the laptop casing? Found that out the hard way.

It’s losing that rhythm of life I just found. Little things piled on top of each other until I have a moment. Again.

Research in Psychology showed that our brains remember bad events/experiences better and in greater detail than good ones, and the impression the bad makes lasts longer. They also found that it takes about 5 good events/experiences to overcome 1 bad event/experience, which can be why it’s hard to bounce back to a good place.

Anne, the Modern Mrs. Darcy, talked about the things that are saving her life right now. The big and the small things that are giving her life and helping her keep going. She has a list and we should too.

We need to count our blessings. We need a list that reminds us of the positive things in life. Because it takes a lot of them to cancel out those moments.

I was having a moment today so I walked many blocks to a Starbucks in the corner of a street away from all the tourists and business conferences. I’m on my 2nd cup of Starbucks coffee and I realized that coffee isn’t saving my life right now. Finding a quiet place I can write to you is. Reading encouraging words from people who get it is. Counting my blessings is because I realize there’s quite a few of them and they’re cancelling out those moments.

I get the moments. I don’t want to go back to the hotel because I feel like I’m going to end up with another moment. If you’re having one of those moments or a few moments, I hope you know you’re not alone. I understand, but I also encourage you to start counting. Make a list of the things saving your life, a list of the blessings big and small, a list of the positives. Let them cancel out those moments so you can breathe again.

Linking up with Coffee for Your Heart.