3 Ways To Battle The “Everything Irritates Me” Attitude
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Okay, I admit – I don’t think there’s officially a thing called “everything irritates me” attitude.
But I bet you know what I mean – those times when things around you start to feel a little too overwhelming – to the point that it makes you angry and annoyed.
“Uh, everything irritates me!
Everything and everyone!
I can’t stand it!!”
Sounds like you?
Then you definitely have to read this.
“Everything Irritates Me”: Where Does This Come From?
If you regularly catch yourself with thoughts like “everything irritates me” or “I hate everyone”, there’s usually one or more of these reasons:
- You’re tired and exhausted – so much that you feel triggered by any additional irritating nuance.
For example, you feel tired already and suddenly find out that your colleague left for a vacation, which means that you now have to deal with some of his work.
Of course you will feel like it’s a “big deal” because you have a limited amount of energy to go through the day already.
- You’re going through hormonal changes – teenage years, PMS, pregnancy, menopause, hormonal contraception or illness-caused hormonal disbalance can wreck a full havock on your mindset and make you expecially susceptible to psychological irritants.
- You’re living in an irritating environment – if your home is a mess (meaning full of clutter), your work life has no structure (no planning, no work/life balance) and you have to deal with toxic people all the time (idiot bosses, anyone?), your senses might be heightened, which again results in an irritated mood.
Is It Bad To Live With “Everything Irritates Me” Attitude?
If you ask me, there’s nothing really wrong with being irritated for a while.
I may be repeating myself again and again, but I really think we benefit more when we are able to fully feel ANY emotions we get.
We need to process them so they don’t sit somewhere in the back of our consciousness and poison us silently from the inside.
BUT being constantly irritated is also a stress factor.
Stress is very unhealthy both for your body and mental health, so it’s best to deal with this toxic mindset and make sure you don’t struggle with it for too long.
3 Ways To Battle The “Everything Irritates Me” Attitude
Now that we know what it is and where it comes from, here’s how to break free whenever you catch yourself feeling way too annoyed with everything around you.
1) Stop Believing That Things Should Be The Way You Want
Sure, it would be great if everything would always go by the plan.
But life is unpredictable and some things can’t be controled… Yet you always can control your reactions.
When you catch yourself feeling irritated because of others, try to remember that no one really HAS to do anything. People don’t have to act or behave in a certain way.
That’s right!
There is no law that would enforce someone to “not be rude” or “to not act rudely”.
Of course, there are many things they should be doing (for example: don’t make others wait, don’t think about themselves only, don’t lie to others etc.), because invisible social rules exist and we expect everyone to follow them.
But essentially, there’s almost nothing that can force a person to follow these rules and you should never expect them to.
Some people just want to ignore everyone’s expectations or they have really broken personalities.
It’s unavoidable.
Alternatively, neither do you have to do anything.
Yes, you’re not forced to work or deal with your bills and life issues.
When you think well, you can go a long time without doing any of that and not die.
BUT these things are useful for you and your life – and that is why it’s just better for you to do them.
After all, they give you comfort, food, and security, right?
Therefore it is beneficial for you to do them. (P.S. you can apply this mindset to many things you don’t want to do and find a new meaning in mundane tasks!).
Now, if you got irritated because of a particular situation, remind yourself that life is unpredictable and the only way to live it happily is by being flexible, learning to adapt and maneuvering when needed.
There will be many situations that just can’t be avoided and allowing them to ruin your attitude will just prolong the process of dealing with them.
Because you will spend a ton of time staying angry about it, instead of trying to solve it.
The take out here is that having balanced expectations for people, life situations, events and outcomes will prevent a lot of irritation in your life.
I like the saying “expect the worst, yet hope for the best”.
It’s like a darker version of “stay positive no matter what” but it’s also a very powerful reminder of our reality, which isn’t always nice and THAT’S OK.
2) Prioritize Your Self Care
If you are, in fact, exhausted, burnt out or battling hormonal changes, maximize your self care as soon as you can.
Spending time with yourself, relaxing, having a good time can help you recover your lost energy, which in turn will make you less sensitive to irritants and various negativities.
If you need a quick start, here’s what I would emphasize the most:
- Have more nutritious meals. Eating a bad diet can be an irritant itself.
When you eat foods that are heavy, very calorie-rich, full of salt, unhealthy fats, or sugar, you are making your body use all the energy to process these heavy foods.
That’s why we feel so sleepy and lazy after a pizza or another heavy food.
If you want to recover your energy, eat lighter and nutritionally-rich foods: fruits, veggies, lean proteins, legumes and whatever healthy food you prefer. (P.S. here’s some that are also perfect for your mental health).
- Do some gentle exercise. I’m not telling you to go hit the gym right now, but gentle exercises like yoga, streching, walking, and breathing exercises are wonderful when you need more energy.
Making your body stronger, helping it to recover with simple healing movements is a perfect way to beat the exhaustion and prevent bad mood.
- Take a multivitamin. Sometimes we just lack one or another microelement and it can wreak total havoc on the way we feel.
Last month I had a week when I felt extremely tired for no particular reason so I decided to take a multivitamin daily for a few weeks.
After three days, I felt like a new person and I am convinced that boosting my body with extra vitamins actually helped.
- You can also try a supplement called 5-HTP which is a natural amino acid that is essential for serotonin production in your brain.
This supplement has really helped me with negative moods and sleep problems in the past!
It also has almost no side effects so it’s a gentler and safer alternative to antidepressants.
Toniq Ultra High Strength 5-HTP capsules
- Pamper yourself. Have a nice evening in the bathroom, buy yourself something new or just plan more time to enjoy what you love doing.
Give yourself a break and allow yourself to enjoy it because you need it.
If you feel like there’s not enough time for this, try at least dedicating one day of the weekend for that.
It’s important for your mental health, so many things can be pushed to the second plan without feeling guilty.
Eating healthy, exercising and having some fun will definitely help you recover some of your lost energy and help you beat the “everything irritates me” mood.
A healthy lifestyle may also help your body regulate the hormone levels in your system and solve a lot of related problems.
However, if you feel like you’re still tired no matter what you do, it’s always a good idea to consult with your family doctor.
A professional will always give you the best recommendations depending on your blood test results.
If you’re someone who hates going to the doctor and therefore postpones it for as long as it’s possible… Trust me – you’re not alone!
Doctor visits ALWAYS give me anxiety, but they are worth it every single time.
Knowing that you actually did the right thing and most importantly – DID SOMETHING FOR YOURSELF is very rewarding.
Never be afraid to get checked and do it once a year even if you feel ok.
It’s a priority.
3) Build Your Resilience & Stability
As I’ve mentioned before, there are tons of things we can’t change.
Unsupportive family members, unfriendly colleagues, increasing workloads, growing prices, and cold weather may just be part of the life.
And in fact, it’s in everyone’s life.
We all have some things we hate and get all angry & irritated about.
Yet what separates happy people and the ones who get irritated too much, is… Well, the amount of fu*ks given (I’m really sorry about this language but I feel like it expresses my thoughts most accurately).
People who are more resilient, usually pay less attention to things that are irritating – they learn to distance themselves from it or at least control their reactions.
If you want to learn how to do it, here’s a list of my articles where I go deep into various mental health, self development, resilience and confidence topics to help you build a truly strong personality, bit by bit: 50 Articles That Help You Build Remarkable Mental Strength
This collection is a perfect resource for anyone who wants to develop better thinking styles, become less sensitive and beat various anxieties that are preventing you from enjoying your life to the fullest.
And yes, when you’re angry, tired and irritated, you are really missing out on that!
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I hope this article will help you become less irritated and beat that uncomfortable “everything irritates me” attitude.
Life’s short.
Don’t little those irritants control you.
Be the one who controls your reactions to them and they will soon lose their power on you.
Good luck!
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