Do you have someone in your life that constantly acts like a grouch? No matter what you say, he or she always have a negative response? He may even pick a fight or bite at you (or others) for absolutely no reason. Maybe it makes him feel good to put someone else down. F’d up. I know.
Or maybe it’s a person who just wakes up like an angry mo-fo and can’t function like a normal human being before he has an IV drip of caffeine running through his system. I’m sure we’ve all got people like that in our lives. Or maybe you’re wincing because you
are one of theses bitter peeps. I can relate for sure.
My husband can be the irate caffeine junkie if he’s been up all night. Which, unfortunately for him (or maybe I should say ME), is the norm, more often than not. Not fun. It feels really crappy when he acts like a ranting and raving maniac even when I know it’s totally irrational.
In fact, makes me feel like shit. It sucks that he can’t figure out a way temper his behavior which I know, in no way or form, is at all directed at me. But once he gets his morning java down, he’s a doll. So, whether you have a Mr. Nasty or Ms. B*tch in your life, or just someone who needs a little artificial stimulation to change his attitude, you’ve got to figure out how to deal, right? What do you do in a situation like this so you don’t bite of the head of someone you love? I’ll tell you what I do. The best I can.
When I’m living in the heat of the moment, I act with as much grace as possible. First, I know my hubby has a problem with insomnia. He always has. So if he doesn’t rest well at night, I never know what to expect in the morning. I also know that his insomnia stems from a problem with his adrenal glands and his diet (although he probably won’t admit that). His adrenal glands? Their fried. Yep. He was a world-class athlete who, during his career, ran himself into the friggin’ ground. Over-trained, mal-nourished, chronic fatigue. Not good. Even though his professional days are well over, his body has still not recovered. In my opinion. He needs a better diet, more peaceful rest and a less active mind. His diet – well, I’m a vegan raw foodie and let’s just say he’s the exact opposite. So when I see the evidence of his guilty pleasures sitting on our kitchen counter or our coffee table early in the morning, I can pretty much guarantee that sugar and processed food didn’t allow his a restful night’s sleep. So what do I do? Scream and yell at him that his diet sucks? No way! I just try to feed him the best meals I can during the day so that he stays nourished, with stable blood sugar and doesn’t have to suffer through late night cravings which ultimately lead to insomnia. You know anyone else like that who simply needs a balanced meal or to balanced his blood sugar and can quickly go from Mr. Jeckyl to Mr. Hide? Of course you do. Second, I try to teach and implement the importance of dietary supplementation. Let’s face it, even with a super-clean diet like mine, we go through deficiencies. For instance, I just found out I was iron and folate deficient. Go figure. But I guess it’s no surprise. I’d literally have to eat 75 lbs of spinach to get all the iron I need that day in my diet. Does he take his supplements? Sometimes But at least I’m trying. Here’s the deal you guys. Most irratic mood behaviors are a result of a poor diet. When we are not getting what we need nutritionally, our body goes into a state of deficit and we can act like a crazy monster. But when we’re balanced, it’s a totally different scene. The other thing I try to get my hubby to do is exercise. Can you believe it? This is a guy who trained 20 – 25 hours a week as a pro for more than a decade. But now he’s burnt out. Unmotivated without a challenge. But when he gets outside for a run or bike, he’s a new man. It’s just reminding him he can find the time if he really wants to. And guess what? His sleep is better as a result as well. So, instead of getting equally as pissed off as the person whose mood may be temporarily altered, try to figure out a solution to the problem. It may be a simple fix. Or you may have to work a little harder. But either way, it really is worth it to keep the sanity and love in the home or wherever your relationship takes you.
And most importantly, try to remember, someone else’s mood swings often have nothing to do with you. If he or she wants to act like the devil, well, that’s their decision. Try not to get sucked into that kind of behavior. I have just given you a few ways to deal with someone who is sucking you into a negative behavior pattern. What do you think? Can you try one of these techniques? What do you usually do and does it work or not? Please leave your comments in the box below. And if you like this blog and feel someone would benefit from this advice, please feel free to share it on Facebook, Pin it or Tweet it. XO, Hayley