Grumpy is a member of our family. Yes he is. He has cute nicknames
like cranky, grouchy, crabby, testy and a few more that are mumbled under the
breath. Strangely enough lots of people who know us have never met
him. That’s because he doesn’t socialize much. He just lies around our
house. He doesn’t’ go to school, or to the store. He certainly
doesn’t go to work. In fact, now that I think of it, he rarely goes
out in public. Yep, he’s a homebody. It’s where he feels most
comfortable. After all, the world out there might not understand him.
They might not even like him. He definitely feels much safer at home.
Is
Grumpy a member of your family? If so, I have some very good friends
who are about to help you out. They are Carl Fredrickson the loveable
character from the movie Up; Tadar Sauce, that sour puss gone viral,
Oscar the dumpster diving Muppet and Disney’s dwarf with the prickly
personality, Grumpy. Simply print out their picture (or better yet buy a
plush or doll version) and set it aside.
Now, rub your hands
together and with a, "moo ha haa" wait for someone in your family to feel
cranky and take it out on others. When they do, bingo! Rather than
engaging in their downer of negative feelings simply retrieve your Grump
of choice and discreetly place him where he will be found by the
cantankerous offender. Go ahead, you have permission to have fun with
this.
For best results, try to predict where your cranky person is
likely to go in the
near future (that spot on the couch they left to go
get a snack, leaning against a bed pillow, on top of their electronic
device etc.). No, you can't just hand Grumpy directly to him or her, as
this might feel a wee bit confrontational. Just let him be found
without a word. You can watch from around the corner and snicker
discreetly as your person discovers their new friend. Chances are your
grumpy family member will laugh at his or her reflection and relax a
little and just maybe (one can always hope), apologize. After Carl or
Tadar has done his job then mysteriously put him away until he is
needed another day.
We've used this method in our family for
several years now and it really is effective! Not only will everyone
have a good laugh but it's a great way to increase your family's EQ
(emotional intelligence).
Want more ideas where these came from? Please visit us at
http://gollygee-pers.com/
In case you didn't see
the recent Late Night with Blake Lively, it was hilarious! While
carrying herself as one classy lady she dished up self-deprecating
stories of dining out with the likes of Karl Lagerfeld, Anna Wintour and
President Obama. In doing so, she
made all of us feel comfortable and at ease. Who couldn't relate to
those awkward moments all of us have felt when the invisible mother of
decorum is suddenly hovering over our heads whispering, "you're doing it
all wrong." Thanks for being real. You deserve a Golly Gee-pers thumbs-up. 
How about revealing the magic of kindness with a letter from Elf
Raffi or Fairy Poli.
CONGRATULATIONS!!! 