deobserver

I have had issues dealing with my family in the past. They get under my skin and upset me too easily. So I’m going to practise emotional control for the next 90 days whenever the occasion arises (which is kind often anyway).

Emotional Control:
1. Hear them out. Let them emote.
2. Be patient.
3. Be tactful
4. Empathise (a biggie for me. Need to explore this further)
5. Acknowledge their importance
6. Articulate my response slowly, quietly and carefully
7. never grant them permission to control me!

“Thank you for sharing your honest feelings with me. I understand how you feel. You have every right to feel that way. Would you be willing to work with me to find a solution to this uncomfortable situation?”

It’s really about the lifestyle. I remember the school priest talking a bit about his life on a boat many years ago and I thought that was a pretty interesting lifestyle. Even though my parents have membership to 2 marinas, we’ve never owned a yacht. I did own a kayak a while ago, but that’s not the same thing. In any case, I would like to live on board a boat for a while at least, see if the experience jives with my imagination.

Unlike real property, a boat would be a depreciating asset so I really need to think very carefully about how I’m going to go about this. My philosophy is that hobbies should pay for themselves as much as possible.