Thursday, October 16, 2008

Are You A Tad Over Melodramatic Too?

This “For Better or For Worse” comic Strip by Lynn Johnston, has the Husband, who is a Dentist, lamenting to his workmate over a cup of Coffee that, “This is it Ted … It’s finally happened …After all this time.. & all we have been through … she’s leaving me. I tried to treat her well … I thought I’d given her everything!”
At this point Ted, quite concerned for him, and with tears in his eyes, puts his arms around his friend to comfort him, then his friend continues on with, “ Where am I going to find another oral hygienist like Marie?’ To which Ted just gives him an exasperated look.
Yes I know from personal first hand experience how hard it is to find, let alone replace good staff, but it is not the end of the world either. Yes I do know that this is only a comic strip, but I have also experienced quite a few over melodramatic responses like this one too, so it is a real experience that you will face one day, even if you have been lucky enough to escape it so far.
So how should you respond to someone in this situation? Firstly don’t laugh at them, but don’t feed into their melodramatic moment either. Secondly, try and show them that there are worse situations than that, that they could be in and that they should be thankful it is not worse. Thirdly, try and show them both, an example of someone in a worse situation than them who needs real sympathy, and then finally try and point them in a positive action to get them moving again and focusing on the future and not the present problem.
Now I think the above advice wise but if you don’t wish to follow it, that is up to you, but this blog is not meant to be about others who may be over melodramatic, but as the title indicates, what about You?
Are you also one of these naturally over melodramatic people, like in this comic strip? If you are then my advice to you is basically the same as that given above. Realize and accept that things that you won’t like, happen all the time, and also accept when they do, that they are usually not half as bad as you initially imagine. Then move on with some positive action to remedy the situation without dwelling on the problem itself.
Yes, if life deals you a curve ball, deal with it and move on positively.

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