I was sitting at an intersection and even though the light was green, I couldn't move because the cross traffic was blocking the intersection. (Of course I was running late for a meeting.) I know it's hard to believe, but I started having some ANTS (automatic negative thoughts) such as "I guess I need to leave earlier to compensate for people who are so inconsiderate that they block the intersection." "I can't believe people are so dumb." All of a sudden, I was feeling tense and angry and it didn't feel good. Being a wonderful, observant, mental health therapist, I know that our thoughts trigger our feelings and I noticed I wasn't exactly having positive, loving thoughts. Then I asked myself, "How else can I think about this?"
When you are trying to change your thinking, putting on a grace and mercy filter is always a good start. So I started to tell myself, "I need to leave earlier so I can leave enough time to deal with life's unexpected twists." "I'm sure the people stuck in the middle of the intersection must be frustrated too. They didn't do this on purpose to block traffic." "How can I enjoy this extra time to listen to my favorite radio station?" "Can I imagine myself back on the beach in Hawaii by my aunt's house?" (See picture above taken 1/2 block from my aunt's house in Hawaii.)
Pretty soon, my mood started to relax. I started to smile as I realized I had just stepped on a few ANTS. Asking yourself, "How else can I think about this?" is a great anteater.
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