Today I’m sharing one 40-something woman’s perspective on how she stays present and doesn’t let emotions drag her down or get in the way of action. Her mantra is “think like a man.” What she means is that she tries to compartmentalize more and not let negative thoughts weigh down her mojo.
“A friend of mine told me to think like a man. To stop doubting myself. Men don’t sit around agonizing over a fight with a friend or what their girlfriend said or whether they are being left out of a meeting. They are on to the next thing. They compartmentalize. They don’t jump into this pool of emotion. So I thought how do you train yourself to stop getting sidetracked by the emotions? When you start to get caught up you have to remind yourself that it’s irrational, focus on what is happening and not react. Tomorrow is another day. This too shall pass! So I just don’t let myself get caught up in it like I used to.
My mantra is “think like a man” but it’s really about remembering not to make a big deal out of everything. Think about it. If a woman gets in a fight the emotional residue can last for weeks. It’s so intense. If a guy gets in a fight it can be over when the argument is over. For them it’s not a big deal. Adopting that thinking made me another person. It has given me the clarity to not get caught up in high emotions.”