Which One Are You?

At yesterday's inservice, I spent a lot of time writing notes back and forth with my sisters-in-law because a lot of what the guy had to say was just common sense stuff. But there was one statement that caught my ear and I've had it on my mind ever since.

"When you find yourself in a difficult situation, don't be the thermometer, be the thermostat."

It probably caught my attention at first becuase it sounded silly. But it also made me think. Similar words, right? Both have to do with temperature.

But, a thermometer can only tell you what the current temperature is. A thermostat has the ability to control the temperature.

It got me thinking about how I react to situations I find myself in every day. Do I let my emotions control me or do I control my emotions?

I've been trying lately, to control my emotions and feelings when it comes to my interaction with other people. I mentioned the other day how I let someones comments about how I spoke get to me and I made a conscious effort to change. I didn't change because I wanted to. I changed because I didn't want to be humiliated again. I was a thermometer. I knew it wasn't a big deal, that I shouldn't have taken his words to heart but felt helpless to change the way I felt. I couldn't control my emotions so I let my emotions control me.

Another way to look at the same statement has more to do with being in a classroom or work setting. When you arrive and are in a bad mood and do nothing but complain, those around you will start to act the same way. You'll end up with non-productive, irritable people and have a miserable waste of a day. If you walk in and, even if you have to pretend at first, are happy and positive, others will feed off of your enthusiasm and the whole dynamic of the room will change in a positive way.

The only one who can decide what kind of day I'm going to have is me. If I choose to be a thermometer then I'm giving up control. I don't know about you, but I'm not willing to do that.