Practicing Catch

How has the practice “Catch Yourself in the Act” that I introduced last week been going? Have you started to transform the disappointment of forgetting and the self-criticism that accompanies it into the lighthearted excitement of remembering?

There is ease in accepting the invitation of a small step.

This week I’d like to offer another way to practice “Catch”, this time when someone irritates you.

I imagine you have a person or two in your life who irritate you. Think of someone in your community (or family) who you don’t have daily contact with but enough connection to be frequently reminded of their shortcomings.

When this person who most irritates you does something that… irritates you, start by noticing how awful that feels. Take a moment to feel how this irritation eats at you. It’s not a nice feeling. Holier than thou used to be so “in” but now it has become “passé”.

Are you ready to try something that feels better? If your answer is “yes”, keep reading.

The next time this person irritates you, let the irritation be a reminder to “Catch Yourself in the Act” and find one thing you like about this person. Letting irritation remind you to admire might seem counter intuitive but try it. Deciding to do this is more difficult than actually doing it.

You might like their enthusiasm for a particular project they are working on. You might like the twinkle in their eye. You might like their cooking. Looking for something small that you like will help you sidestep your habit of being irritated.

One small thing will lead to another and overtime you will notice how much better it feels to be noticing things you like about that person.

This is a practice. It’s a small step that repeated over time brings a big change.

It did for me!

Recently I enlisted this practice and I am happy to say that one person in my life who used to be a major irritant (through no fault of their own) has become someone I genuinely admire and look forward to seeing. This person is now someone I delight in.

After I decided to practice catch, it was relatively easy to find a fresh new perspective.

What a relief!

Transforming irritation into enjoyment by catching yourself in the act leads to a deep sense of freedom.

I’d love to hear where you plan to “Catch Yourself in the Act” and how you anticipate this decision will turn your life around.