I have an attitude problem this week. People are bugging me, and since I don't happen to own a private island, I need to deal with it. I consider myself a fairly easy-going person but lately my fuse has been short. The following behaviors have set me off:
- People who don't say thank you
- Two-facedness
- Bullying
- Lying
- Businesses whose employees/owners act like they're doing you a favor by taking your money
- ...among others
Fearful that I am headed on the road to becoming a grumpy old woman, I've tried to turn my frustration into a positive by thinking about the sources of irritation for the main characters in my WIP. What is the frustration breaking point for each one? How is this reflected in the story, if at all? If it's not in the story, should it be? Here's what I came up with:
Elizabeth - her anxiety
Jimmy - his inability to get Elizabeth to admit she loves him
Niles - having an underling take his position
Nan - loss of the upper hand
Angela - people not agreeing with her point of view
Nick - Elizabeth rejecting him
Guy - political correctness
So, if anyone has any other suggestions of positive ways to blow off steam, you know so I don't get myself fired, arrested, or similar, feel free to share. So far getting back to writing and exercising is helping. See, I've got a smile on my face. :)
Steve always begged his father to install a punching bag for him to burn off some steam. :)
ReplyDeleteGood luck. Love the breaking points for your characters.
A punching bag would be great. I need a portable one. ;)
ReplyDeleteI hear that taking a newspaper and shredding it into little pieces by hand can be very therapeutic for stress and frustration. If you happen to have bags of this shredded newspaper you can throw it as confetti at RSL soccer games. Just a thought.
ReplyDeleteThese are my coping mechanisms: run, eat and sleep. :)
ReplyDeleteHaha! I sound a little neurotic and/or depressed.