Daily Gratitude: “Whenever you are about to find fault with someone, ask yourself the following question: What fault of mine most nearly resembles the one I am about to criticize?”

Boy was Marcus Aurelius a wise man. Whenever I’ve been brave enough to do this, it’s taken the wind out of my sails quickly. And that’s a good thing.

I get lots of practice with it in my neighborhood which is a “cut through” between two major roads. There are stop signs but so many people can’t see them (ha) or can’t read and think they say “slow”. And of course there’s the stoplights at each end of the road. The green light doesn’t stay green very long. So if someone is on their phone during the red light, they will probably realize it’s turned green in time for them to make it through while so many of the rest of the cars don’t.

Instead of blowing my top now I acknowledge the frustration and then think “when I have I done something that has affected others (whether it’s in traffic or otherwise)?” That helps to dissolve the frustration.

The reason it’s important to acknowledge the frustration (or whatever emotion you’re experiencing) is that emotions aren’t really controllable. They happen. What we can and should control is our response- our feelings.

Try Marcus’ question next time you start to criticize someone or something. See how it works.