Don’t let frustration floor you, fix it before it makes you crazy

When you’re asked, “How are you?” do you ever blurt out “Frustrated!”? That was my answer recently when I answered the phone. I was watching the little circle go round and round on my computer screen as I waited and waited for information to load. Then I waited when it said “connecting in 30 seconds. Then up pops, “Oops, something’s not right.” No kidding.

Computers are great and they’ve changed the world, but they’re as frustrating as a toddler who refuses to be potty trained.

My friend who called cut the conversation short after she heard my tale of internet woe. Then it dawned on me I didn’t even ask her how she was.

This got me thinking about frustration and how it can consume a person.

Right now frustration with the political system is off the chart. Actually too much of the news is a cause for frustration whether it is yet another child who has been abused or the damage caused by hurricanes, flooding, fires, tornadoes and mudslides.

Thinking about those things makes my desire to throw my computer out the window seem pretty lame. Frustration can teach a person patience. Yes, even when you’re sitting amid orange cones waiting for the road work person to flip the sign around so it’s your turn to go.

You’re already five minutes late, but at least you have an excuse for your tardiness. Now, that’s thinking positive. And think how great the road will be without those potholes that swallow up a tire. More positivity.

But let’s get real, a lot of our frustration comes from being spoiled. We want what we want and we want it instantly. I call it the Amazon Syndrome. Order something you want, but probably don’t need, and voila! It arrives the same day or the next day. That might be convenient, but it seems that desire for instant gratification has made its way into the realm of entitlement. And that’s another story.

What we can’t do is let frustration take over because then it becomes dangerous whether it’s personal or in groups. Think road rage and mob violence here.

Everyone faces frustration every day and some days it seems like it builds until by the time you get home you feel like you’ve been worked over. Those are the days if it could go wrong, it went wrong. Those are the days we ask ourselves, “Why is everything so hard?”

But those are the days we need to think of people in this world who have real reasons to be frustrated. They have no health care. They don’t have fresh water, they are living in a tent while they hope for a safe and permanent place to live.

Some frustrations resolve themselves, but many don’t. My dad told me if something is causing frustration, fix it if possible, and it usually is, before it makes you crazy.

I’m calling my computer guy right now.

This story was originally published September 26, 2018 at 10:15 PM.