Are you feeling a bit stressed lately. I know I have, I have been a bit frustrated the past month or two.  I could list my frustrations out but I think it is counter productive. I have been listing them over and over and then expecting them to go away. Since doing the same thing repetitively and expecting different results is the definition of insanity. I have finally decided to list out ways to overcome frustration. The first step is to decide which frustrations I can personally change and which I have absolutely no influence over.
Frustration seems to come from a feeling of lack of control. Its root is either anger or fear. I have been feeling both emotions in abundance lately. So rather than take you into the dark places that I have been travelling lately. I am going to walk us through an exercise of how to overcome.
Remember that frustration is born of wanting things or people to be a certain way that is fixed in your head. Your expectations of others and of how the world works is formed over many years of experiences and sometimes your personal overlay is defective; it might have been a source of self-protection once but when it continues to advise you poorly for future experiences, then it is stuck in time, and generally plain wrong. When you cease to expect other people to act in a certain way, when you start to look at the world with fresh eyes again and expect nothing apart from the fact that you are a member of a community of individuals and a world of many happenings, then you start to realize that things happen, people are the way that they are, and most importantly of all, how you react matters.
http://www.wikihow.com/Cope-With-Frustration
Ok, so my frustration is born out of the expectation that the surgery I just had would give me greater mobility, not less. Is there anything I personally can do to change this mobility issue? What would help me?
1. Exercise (which in itself is frustrating as all the written information talks about going for a walk!) Are there other types of exercise that I can do? Yes, I can start swimming, even though it means that I will swim differently now. I can also do Pilates which requires nothing more than a clear space and a tv.
2. Clearing your mind (I don’t know what I think about this. People with clear minds often have empty minds devoid of creativity) I think they mean that you stop thinking about what you can’t do and instead focus on what you can do! Like a camera that can take close up photos. If I focus on the things I can’t do then I forget all of the things that I can do. I am a firm believer that things happen for a reason, which I may never know. It is our choice to either allow that “thing” to destroy or refine us.
3. Change how I react to what I can and can’t do
http://www.bitrebels.com/lifestyle/10-tips-to-overcome-frustration/
Frustration usually occurs when our intended personal goals and dreams are not met. We may feel frustrated when an outcome of what we wanted to happen simply did not happen, or when we meet challenges. There are so many things that can cause us to be frustrated. Some people act on that feeling, while others do not. More often than not, the cause of our frustrations can be attributed to external forces that we do not have control over. It can be triggered by a situation like a gadget not working, or even by another person. Frustration can block us from feeling motivated. We can react by trying to solve what is causing the frustration, or we can just simply give up.
4. Giving up is not an option. I am not a quitter. I do not give up. I am as my Mom says a fighter. She says I have courage, actually, I am too afraid not to take the next step. I tend to do what I can to keep from thinking about what is happening or going on around me. Pain refines and challenges every aspect of our lives and frankly I would rather have the physical pain rather than emotional pain. Time doesn’t dull pain acceptance does. We allow the paint to infiltrate and diffuse into every part of our lives until it has been with us so long that we have a hard time even recognizing it. Until it is gone, well and truly gone. Â Then only by concentrating do we see that there is pain and that something needs to be done.
I had a long talk with a long time friend last night. We had both had amazingly frustrating weeks and it was nice to talk to someone and get a different point of view on things. She helped me immensely. It was nice to be able to say what has been on my mind and have someone remind me that things really are better than I think. I think I was able to do the same thing and encourage her to look past her frustrations. So, my last piece of advice would be to find a close friend and really talk to them about your frustrations, if you can. We don’t often share like we did last night but it really helped to talk about our fears and get them out in the open. Fear really doesn’t like the light of day and sharing about your fears often makes them go away. Remember that there is a difference between sharing and whining!
The photos are of some new blankets that I started this past weekend. They are beautiful and I can’t wait to share the finished patterns and product in the shop! The pink and brown one is already for sale in the shop and I love this close up of the border. Â You can find it here:Â https://www.etsy.com/listing/165023172/blanket-crochet-granny-square-baby
Talk to you later,
Karen
p.s. I am also assuming that you have already prayed about your frustrations.
