Set the Thermostat!

The other day I went to meet someone and I noticed a shift in my demeanor. I was pretty upbeat until I went to meet him and it all shifted. In that shift I began to think about his demeanor; he was totally straightforward, no small talk. As I walked away I began to put it all on him, “what’s his problem”, “why is he so grumpy”, “he could be a little more polite?” He just didn’t seem (to me) to want to engage. But then I had to stop and think, it’s not on him it’s up to me. If you were walking along “feeling good, feeling great,” why would you allow him or anyone for that matter, change you? In less than 2 minutes I allowed a total stranger to change me, why did I give him so much power? In that moment, I had to shake myself back to reality and remind myself, you are the thermostat; you set the temperature. No one should be able to change you, unless you allow them. Who’s in control? 

How often is it that we allows others to change us, whether it’s an attitude change because of something someone said or did, or a lost dream because someone said that you couldn’t or shouldn’t. Many times we allow others to change our thoughts and/or drive on things. Why do we give them so much power?

As I thought of this incident, I thought of a thermostat. According to dictionary.com, a thermostat is an automatic device for regulating temperature. We are like the thermostat in that we control the temperature or our feelings, decisions, or choices. We have to know what our setpoint is and not allow others to take us higher or lower than our regulated temperature. You set the standard and stick to it! Never allow others to come in and shift your mood, or the atmosphere. We all have to remember, you control you!