Guard your heart above all else,
for it determines the course of your life.” ~ Proverbs 4: 23
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FRUSTRATION! We’ve all experienced it at one time or another. Yet, how do we handle it?
Some feed it by getting angry. Others squelch it by seething inwardly. Still others deny their frustration and hope it will just go away.
But none of these methods works in the long run.
So, what is the best way to handle frustration in our lives?
Before I offer my suggestions, I’d like first to define frustration. Possibly the best definition I’ve come across is this: “Frustration is the discrepancy between what we hoped to achieve and what we actually achieved.”
From this definition we see that frustration has to do with expectations. When we have expectations that do not pan out, we become frustrated.
So, how can we avoid frustration in our lives and live the peaceful life Jesus died to give us?
Here are three tips that help me when I am tempted to be frustrated:
1–Set realistic expectations. A realistic expectation is one consistent with the situation in which you find yourself. For example, if you need to lose 20 lbs., it would be unrealistic to expect to lose all 20 lbs. in one week. To expect to lose 20 lbs. in one week would be setting yourself up for failure–and frustration.
2–Change your focus. All of us have good traits as well as bad. When you find that someone’s behavior frustrates you, shift your focus from the person’s flaw to the person’s strength. For example, if your teenage son forgets to pick up his clothes from his bedroom floor, close his bedroom door and focus on the fact that he is kind, helpful, and respectful.
| “Frustration is the discrepancy between what we hoped to achieve and what we actually achieved.” ~ Author Unknown |
3–Practice gratitude. One of the best antidotes to frustration is the practice of gratitude. Instead of grumbling about what frustrates you, be thankful about the things that bless you. Take time every day to count your blessings. If you do, not only will you find your frustration level decreasing, but you will also find your happiness level rising to new heights.
Now it’s YOUR turn! How do you handle frustration? Please comment in the box below. Thanks!
TWEETABLE: “How to Handle Frustration” by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio (CLICK TO TWEET)
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Matters of the Heart is a weekly blog that deals with the deepest issues of the human heart, the issues we all face but sometimes don’t want to talk about. The heart is the programming center of our lives. What is programmed into our heart will affect every area of our lives. Learn how to discover what is in your heart and how to program your heart for success.
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