You know that one person who drives you crazy? Yeah, that one. 



I’m guessing that you know at least one person who, for personal or professional reasons, you have to endure. It’s a strained relationship at best, and maybe it really is their fault, but if you are going to have to work, live, or play together then you may as well do whatever you can to keep yourself sane.

I wonder if a simple exercise might not change the story you tell yourself about this person. What if you made a list of 10, or 5, or 3 things that you appreciate about this person. Maybe they smell nice, or they bring in donuts on Fridays, or they have excellent penmanship, or they have great taste in music, or they know everything about the Civil War, or they have incredible table manners. Anything.

This list is not meant to excuse their negative behaviors, but to prove that there is more to them than the things that irk you.

Changing the way you think about this person is a great first step because you may be a larger part of the problem than you’ve led yourself to believe.

File this under “advice to myself”. With all the others.