It is one thing to write books and e-letters about mental fortitude and the like. It is another to put it into practice on a daily basis.

Last Thursday started like a normal day. I was excited as I put on a jacket and tie at 5 AM. I had a meeting on behalf of a client with a government official and I was very hopeful that I could resolve my client’s issue. Since I had some driving to do, I stopped at a gas station to fill up before beginning my day.

I put the hose in as usual and then waited. The automatic shut-off clicked a minute later but when I tried to extricate the hose, the nozzle (defective) caused gas to gush out of the car, soaking my shirt and jacket.

Since I did not have time to go home and change, as soon as I got to my office I wiped my shirt and jacket as clean as I could. But, no matter how I tried, I still smelled like a gas station attendant.

Since I had spent so much time trying to clean myself off, I rushed out the door trying to get to my appointment on time. On the way I was cut off by a driver speaking on his cell phone, not paying attention to anyone else on the road. As a result I got caught behind a school bus stopping at every other driveway. There was now no way that I would be on time for my meeting.

At this point I could feel my mind slipping … I could feel my aggravation level rising. I imagine you have had days like this … that start out with a big warning sign:

GO HOME, GO DIRECTLY TO HOME. TODAY IS NOT YOUR DAY.

I then made a conscious resolution to fight back. I slowed down my breathing. I focused on exactly what was going on in my mind. I tried to reverse the rising anger.

I was late for my meeting. I was embarrassed by the gasoline smell. When the government type did not see things exactly my way, I felt frustration rising but I kept fighting back. I maintained a low-key demeanor and recited to myself (non-verbally) over and over “you can’t fight City Hall.” Eventually the meeting turned out OK.

I can’t say that my efforts were 100% successful in addressing a day that was just not meant for me. Later in the day I spilled Russian dressing on my pants. But, this is my point: oftentimes we allow a situation or a day to spin out of control when we give in to events that happen to us. We let our anger or aggravation rise and then we make things worse! In fact, the day becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy: we expect bad things, we lose our composure, we cause bad things to happen. I am quite sure, for example, that my meeting would not have ended very well if I had I given in to the frustrations I was feeling. Then, with a bad meeting on top of the gas station spill, the cell phone clod and the school bus local, my day would have blown up entirely – just like I was expecting it to.

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