By Patricia Frank….
- Patricia Frank
When an individual steps on your shadow they are annoying and irritating you. They are violating you in a way, by invading and intruding on your personal space. They are unwanted and uninvited. They are forcing you to pay attention to them.
They are causing you a degree of anger or mental distress by distracting you and diverting you from your personal thoughts. They make it difficult to stay focused on your own world without interruption. They are interfering with your natural rhythm and flow and with your stream of conscious or subconscious thoughts.
They are intrusive, irritating, maddening and infuriating. They do not seem to care that their behavior is selfish, rude, aggressive and very disrespectful. It is easy and normal l to feel resentment towards them. They have usurped your power and control. They are threatening your integrity and wholeness as an individual with equal rights. When someone encroaches on you it creates discomfort. It is disturbing. You feel badgered and upset. You may feel harassed. It is disturbing and a nuisance. Some people and situations are more annoying than others.
What can you do? Don’t confront the offender directly. They may become violent. Don’t give the offender an annoyed look or any indication that you are exasperated or bothered by their behavior. It will not stop them which will upset you even more. All you can do is learn to tune them out. Take a deep breath. Shift your focus. Dismiss them and their behavior.
Chalk it up to ignorance, bad manners, lack of consideration, insensitivity and misplaced feelings of entitlement. Have pity on them for they are clueless about life so they will not be able to achieve or experience life’s greatest glories.
Don’t let them or their behavior get on your nerves because that will cause unhealthy hormones and chemicals to circulate in your brain and throughout your body. Then their actions become not just annoying to you but harmful to you.
Patricia Frank is a Licensed Psychotherapist. She can be reached at 305-788-4864, 212-308-0309.
