Getting Over Being Difficult

Wouldn't it be great to be perfect? Or, maybe it wouldn't. I will never forget seeing a puppet show (yes, I said puppet show) in New York City, many years ago, with the essential flow of dialogue being something like this:

"I want to be the very best! The very best best!"
"But not too good. Be the best but not the best best!"
"I want to be the very best. So good. But not too good."
"Because if you were too good, people wouldn't like you."
"It's not good to be too good."

...somewhat over and over in that manner -- outright saying that it's possible to be too good.

It was funny then. But it wasn't true then and it isn't true now. You probably can't be too good. But, in the pursuit of good (or whatever else you're chasing) it IS possible to be difficult. Haven't we all been difficult?

Here's the thing (there's got to be a thing!): we do NOT always realize it when we are being difficult. It's too difficult. We are wrestling with our own demons and fumbling thru our own malaise and so instead of recognizing the difficulty that we create we blame others for being so blazingly difficult.

That's hard. That's difficult. It makes it difficult to get over being difficult.

We don't want to be too bad because if we're too bad we won't even know how bad we are.

At one time or another we are all difficult people. Some people just get stuck there.

What if we helped them when that happened by asking them to let us know when we were being difficult. Whether or not they think we are being difficult is certainly their perception and may or may not be true. But what if it is? Shouldn't we know?

Here's what I think is the best way to help people stop being difficult. Stop being difficult. Instead, be kind. Be compassionate. Be patient. Breathe, and let be.

Of course this is easier said than done. That's why we should probably start as soon as possible.

Create a great day! I'm going to try to make it easier for someone else...

-- doug smith

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