Our bosses may impose unrealistic demands on us, oblivious to the fact we may have a sick child or parent to attend to.
Our relatives might meddle in our business, bringing pressure to bear on us so that we take the course of action they think would make us happy rather than the one we're confident will. (As if they would know us better than we know ourselves.)
And even our closest friends can be tough to stomach on their worst days. They may take their frustrations out on us without necessarily intending to, potentially causing a rift in the friendship.
Here are a few tips to prevent you from losing your cool:
1. Remind yourself it's only temporary. You may intend to stay in that job another year before moving on. The family member giving you grief -- your cousin Eddie, for example -- may only be in town for another few days. And your friend, normally of a jovial temperament, may be having a rough go of late because her grandma recently passed away.
2. Others can't bother you without your permission. One of the best things about being a sentient person is that no one can get in your head -- unless, of course, you let them in. The more attention you pay someone, the more they'll infiltrate your thoughts and wield control over your moods.
Only by blocking them out of your mind can you allot room for the positive, enriching things and people that matter. From Netflix to gardening, there's a plethora of options for distraction.
3. Will you be thinking about this a year from now? Chances are, whatever or whoever teed you off will be in the farthest recesses of your mind in 12 months, if not six. Why get all worked up over something of so little importance?
Again, close the door of your mind to all those unwelcome negative thoughts. Deny them entry at all times!
People WILL upset you -- there's no getting around that. But remember: you remain in full control of how you respond to them, even if it means ignoring such individuals altogether.
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