Stuck in the Muck

I have a confession....
I let the muck and yuck of things around me get me stuck in negativity.

I'm talking stuck. Stuck to where all you see is negative and that affects how you are seen by others...as being negative.

Whether justified (as there have been a lot of negativity, changes, etc.) or not...I realized (by an attitude check) that I let it all begin to change my behavior.

During this "awakening", a colleague shared this...

"Beneath every behavior there is a feeling.
And beneath each feeling is a need.
And when we meet that need rather than focus on the behavior,
we begin to deal with the cause, not the symptom."

There were definitely causes behind why I felt like I did and that lead to the behavior I was displaying (some realizing and some not realizing how much it was being displayed). Ultimately, I don't want to be seen or known as a negative person. I don't want people to think I'm grumpy. And friends...that was what was starting to happen.

It isn't fun to be called out for negative behaviors.
In fact, I was shocked. Then mad. And then reflective. Finally, accepting and sorry.

I honestly, couldn't or didn't see how stuck in the muck I was. The muck was consuming me...and it was all that I saw in front of me.

Afterward, it was like layers of mud had been removed and I could see more of the situation...more of things around me...I could see beyond the yuck.

May there be more refreshing waters ahead...