Parent - teenager situation: a request, a repeated request, then annoyance that changed to "Fine - do it yourself then!" followed by stomping off in a huff.
Not the greatest parenting moment: yeah, that was me, stomping off in a huff.
And this was where my stomping took me - a very old neighborhood cemetery. As I walked, I used my favorite "calm down" walking and breathing strategy. I inhaled for four steps, then exhaled for six steps. As stress left my body, I slowed down even more, and breathed in for four steps and breathed out for eight steps.
My nervous system shifted out of fight - (and flee!) - into rest - and ponder. Surrounded by the reminders that life is too short to waste on petty bickering, I returned home, apologized, and we did the project together.
Angela Hall
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