What frustrates you the most?

Let’s start off by defining frustration: “the feeling of being upset or annoyed, especially because of inability to change or achieve something.”

This could be caused by an event or circumstance that causes one to have a feeling of frustration; or it could be the prevention of the progress, success, or fulfillment of something. It can also be said to be an emotional response to opposition. If prevented from reaching our goals, we may succumb to frustration and feel irritable, annoyed and angry.

But do we need to?

Since getting angry, feeling annoyed, etc. never does actually solve a frustrating situation and can be self-defeating, let’s look at the alternatives to see what can be done to reduce, alleviate or obliterate feelings of frustration.

Start by taking a couple of minutes to write down exactly what you are frustrated about, including all aspects. Then try these different avenues:

1. Look at the situation from someone else’s viewpoint and how would they regard the situation and deal with it. Pick someone you admire in the way they deal with difficult circumstances. You can repeat this step using different people you know. You may come up with a completely different perspective and a creative solution.
2. Since you have written down all aspects of the problem, look over these and see if there is one part of it that you can figure out what to do about. Work it out in detail as to how you will get it done. Then look again at the original description and see if there is another part you can take control of and work that out. Go as far as you can on this and then start implementing your solutions. When those are done, come back to the original frustration and see what is left to handle, and work those points out similarly.
3. Talk to a friend about it but not to get his or her agreement that you are justified in being frustrated but instead, get them to listen to the whole situation and then ask you what you CAN do about it. This can be asked over and over until you work out your own solution and feel better.
4. This may seem funny to you, but getting a few friends to tell you what frustrates them the most may make your frustration seem lesser in comparison, which will then encourage you to get busy and fix the problem.
5. Take a holiday. Just kidding … you will just come back to the same frustrations that you left behind unhandled. You will enjoy your vacation ever so much more if you handle the frustration BEFORE you go.

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