Have you ever picked up a wet towel from the bed, saw the damp spot on the comforter, and thought, this could be the day I lose it?
Minor annoyances feel like legitimate grievances in the moment. A wet towel spirals into “I do everything around here!” faster than it takes to hang that sucker up.
One December, I discussed these small squabbles with my boyfriend’s family. We talked about the dirty mug in the sink, the muddy shoes on the rug, the messy Tupperware cabinet.
The conversation evolved from venting to the importance of assuming good intentions and recognizing how everyone has their flaws.
Somehow we got to the question (we give my boyfriend the credit), what if you just let it go?
You decide how you spend your time and energy. You have the power to let it–the resentment, the annoyance, the pet peeve–go.
As the Tupperware Cabinet Queen, I admit it’s not easy to do.
And of course, if your partner’s wet towel accompanies an overall pattern of neglecting your needs and treating your feelings like week-old leftovers, you have a bigger problem.
But sometimes the wet towel is just a wet towel.
Letting it go allows you to release the emotional burden of feeling upset and bitter.
So why not skip the agony?
My boyfriend’s dad made “let it go” his motto for the new year. He used it so much it became “LIG.”
I’ve seen his “let it go” mentality in action. There have been moments that could easily ruin a day (I told you to go to the bathroom before we got in the car) where he responded with a simple “LIG.”
He stuck with it throughout the year and found it helpful–fewer stressful moments and knee-jerk reactions–which was the goal.
But he felt like it didn’t go quite far enough.
This is some next-level stuff, so I’ll share more tomorrow.
To being better without gritting out “I’m fine,”
Elizabeth