The Fine Art of Keeping Your Cool (This Christmas)

[kimi]

Hi Girls,

So I thought to put this piece together and also to make it interactive. 

Feel free to share more tips on how to keep your cool. While the environment within which we live can be quite volatile, it is no excuse for bad behaviour. We always have a choice; that is, to lose ourselves in the moment or to display restraint. 

This season, let's spread some cheer to lighten the air (girl! Check out my rhymes! Booyah! Lol) 

I'll share a few ideas below, as they come to mind. 

📿

[kimi]

Tip #1

Just look around you. Look at the angry faces behind the wheels or on the streets. Check out the wrinkle on their foreheads and how they tend to look worn and aged. Observe and ruminate on how hardship seems to be written all over their faces. Guess what? That could be you. Lol.

Don't be them *wink*

[kimi]

Tip #2 - For those situations when you can literally see yourself about to lose your cool:

By now, I would expect that you understand yourselves fairly well to know the things that take you off your cool lane. It could very well be when someone keeps you waiting or when another has decided to drive like a snail in front of you.  

You know what you can do? You can pre-empt these and choose the best course of action for yourselves at these points. E.g instead of getting upset and losing your cool when being kept waiting and ultimately making a mess of the meeting when the person arrives, agree with them that you will only wait up for them for an additional 10minutes after which you will be on your way. That way, you are both on the same page and there wouldn't be any hurt feelings. Best case, they will give you a call you ahead of time if the meet means just as much to them.

With the sloppy driver, you can simply allow another car get in the middle of you two. That way, you are not being consistently provoked to lose not just your cool but your mind as well. Lol. 

The trick is to know yourselves and choose the path that would ensure you stay on the cool lane. Yes. Be selfish. Put your happiness first!

[kimi]

Tip #3 - For when someone has actually earned a response from you (after spilling lots of folly)

(I sighed heavily for this one. Hahaha. It is that exhausting). I am of the opinion that people only resort to using foul language when they have run out of intelligent responses. You know what? The beauty in the use of the English language is that there are a million and one ways to say the same things. Putting people in their place has never been so delightful especially when done gracefully. 

Typically, before you give a response, do an assessment which comprises trying to imagine what could have possibly happened to that person that has made then so angry or vile. Think of some hardships perhaps that could have come their way and usually after this, you realize that you come to feel a tad sorry for them and the irritation often difuses to a level where you are then able to filter through and deal with the main issues -without bringing yourself down to their level. 

[kimi]

Tip #4 - For when you are in one of those gridlocks caused by nothing. 

Whatever you do, do not allow yourselves think bad, hurtful thoughts about other drivers in traffic.(lol.) Especially those whose cars decided to breakdown -rememeber, it could have been worse. It could have been the one you are riding in. 

In these situations, I agree that it could be quite challenging to be joyful but do what you can to guard your happy place. Dig up your favourite memories or get your girlfriend on the phone and enjoy her company while you battle it out in traffic. You could also look-out for things to make jest of -it could be others getting all worked up and losing their cool. You could also decide to allow your minds wonder to the hawkers and allow yourselves imagine that while these may be on the streets today as part of their journey through life, some of these same lads would still emerge successful and be an inspiration tomorrow. 

Whatever you do, don't focus on yourself and what the traffic is doing to you. Lol. You may end up dead if you do.

[Hawken]

Man, no 3) I'm not going to make up excuses for anyone who's been an as****h**le or disrespectful. I'm going to go out of my way to disrespect you right back or even worse. If I don't, I'm going to spend the rest of the day or several days angry and wishing I had put the twat in their place.

My mental health is very important to me, so if cussing out a twat is what's going to give me peace, best believe I will.

But yes , yes, restraint is key, very good stuff that restraint. 😁

Meanwhile, my own tip is simply to avoid. I avoid stressful situations by staying in my house. When I have to go out, I go out with my ear piece so I don't hear rubbish like "hayceee! Fine geh! My color? You dey form abi? Nor be say you even fine sef. I get your type for house oh".

When I'm entering bus or whatever , I hold my change. If I'm not with change I make sure to tell the driver. I don't want anybody to raise their voice at me because I will raise mine at you too. Are you mad?

Same with taxify. When they call I tell them I'm doing a transfer to you, is that okay? Its only recently I gathered mind and added my card details to the app.

I shop for groceries every two weeks. Everything must be bought in one day.

I don't mingle much to prevent familiarity.

Avoid , avoid , avoid. But if anybody forcefully brings me market, best believe I will buy it. We die there.

[RayBlac]

2 hours ago, Hawken said:

When I have to go out, I go out with my ear piece so I don't hear rubbish like "hayceee! Fine geh! My color? You dey form abi? Nor be say you even fine sef. I get your type for house oh".

These comments bah, really annoying!😁😁😒😒

Be careful with the earpiece though.

 

[RayBlac]

5 hours ago, kimi said:

(I sighed heavily for this one. Hahaha. It is that exhausting). I am of the opinion that people only resort to using foul language when they have run out of intelligent responses. You know what? The beauty in the use of the English language is that there are a million and one ways to say the same things. Putting people in their place has never been so delightful especially when done gracefully.

For the words in bold, I think that's very true😄😄.

Then the italicized words, I just recently read about someone who put another in their place and she did it so gracefully. Truly, truly, nothing is more delightful.😊

•

Thanks Kimi for sharing. Deeply appreciate.

[Michelle]

23 hours ago, kimi said:

Tip #4 - For when you are in one of those gridlocks caused by nothing. 

Whatever you do, do not allow yourselves think bad, hurtful thoughts about other drivers in traffic.(lol.) Especially those whose cars decided to breakdown -rememeber, it could have been worse. It could have been the one you are riding in. 

In these situations, I agree that it could be quite challenging to be joyful but do what you can to guard your happy place. Dig up your favourite memories or get your girlfriend on the phone and enjoy her company while you battle it out in traffic. You could also look-out for things to make jest of -it could be others getting all worked up and losing their cool. You could also decide to allow your minds wonder to the hawkers and allow yourselves imagine that while these may be on the streets today as part of their journey through life, some of these same lads would still emerge successful and be an inspiration tomorrow. 

Whatever you do, don't focus on yourself and what the traffic is doing to you. Lol. You may end up dead if you do.

Aw you're such a sweetheart.