Remember; frustration is healthy for you.

In a time when we are told that stress is a killer, negative emotions hurt you and those around you, hostile environments should be walked away from; frustration is healthy? Yep. Now I know that frustration is also one of the three causes of anger but that still doesn’t mean it is bad. I punched in Frustration as a Tool in the search engine and came up with this:

Frustration can be a powerful tool for personal growth when viewed as a catalyst for self-reflection and learning. Here are some key insights:

• Acknowledge Your Emotions: Recognizing frustration as a signal from your inner self can help you address unmet needs and expectations.

• Embrace Discomfort: Frustration often reveals hidden strengths and areas for improvement, pushing you to confront your limitations.

• Transform Challenges into Opportunities: Instead of viewing setbacks as obstacles, see them as chances to grow and adapt.

• Practice Mindfulness: Engaging in mindfulness can help you tune out external pressures and connect with your inner self, allowing you to process frustration more effectively.

• Take Inspired Action: By reflecting on your frustrations, you can identify what you need to change and take intentional steps towards improvement.

  By understanding and utilizing frustration, you can turn it into a pathway for personal development and resilience.

As time has pulled me along, I have experienced changes physically and well, mentally. When we are young and learning, we face frustrations all the time and our parents or caregivers hopefully teach us coping skills to effectively deal with it. As young adults, we end up fighting through and finding out how much we can accomplish. Then we are led down the rosy path into the quiet but unrelenting reality of age, where we learn the term “limitation” which soon morphs into a gang that beats you up at night while you are sleeping. Eventually, they mug you during the day and you can no longer get a decent night’s sleep. Then you end up with the return of your childhood friend, “Frustration”.

Well guess what? He is like your brains personal PT expert and when he shows up, it means your head is going to get a work out. I’ve been seeing this jerk for a few days straight this week and while it is a good training, well no one is really excited about a personal trainer that weighs 250lbs and has hairy armpits. They are still good for you because it means you are working areas you don’t normally use or you are learning new skills. Plus, it also helps you to work on the above points. Being able to be productive without blowing your stack on the spouse who is trying to help you is always productive. If it helps you learn to maintain a sense of humor with those who supply the service you need, even better.

Finally, the biggest tools in your box when dealing with frustration are patience, and acceptance. One of the largest contributors to frustration is waiting on others who you have no control over. You have to understand that they will respond when they respond and you can’t rush someone who is in another geographical location. You have no control and must accept that the timeline is going to be what it is. This is where doing the best that you can do and knowing that you are doing the best you can, stands you in good stead. When you have done your best, you rest assured that it is what it is in spite of your best; and not because you didn’t give it your all.

So, I’m going to carry my phone around and if you see me checking my email; it is because I am waiting on someone else because; well, I’ve done my best.