Have you ever had trouble taking the "high road"?

Yes, I have had trouble over time. I often try to keep my mouth shut, but every once in awhile I speak up and it always ends badly.

I can’t think of any situation right now, but I’m sure I have missed the high road on a few occassions. We are not unfeeling robots and sometimes our emotions get the better of us. I try my best to hold my tongue until I feel I can fully process how it is effecting my emotions. Some days I simply won’t. On my really crabby days, I just avoid people as much as I can. I will drink a soothing tea, and watch some tv and take out my frustrations on slugs in the garden.

When I was a young “fuck the world” teenager, yea I had a lot of issues with this. I’ve gotten a lot better as I’ve matured IMO. I still get really pissed sometimes when someone wrongs me and I’ll plot elaborate revenge plans to be enacted at a future date but it’s more of just a coping mechanism, I never do end up following through with my plans.

Of course it’s difficult; that’s why it’s called “the high road” If it was easy, it’d just be “the road.”

Taking the high road isn’t the easiest thing to do when you feel passionately about your beliefs or actions that are being attacked. There have been many times I’ve made myself look foolish and I wish I had just kept my mouth shut. It does get a bit easier after you’ve failed a few times and learn from your mistakes.

A friend and fellow jelly posted something recently on Facebook and I’ve gone back to it a few times to remind myself to take the high road. http://everydayfeminism.com/2013/04/the-deep-spiritual-practice-of-not-giving-a-shit/ It’s helped me.

@jonsblond That link was interesting. The problem is that it’s with people I have to deal with daily. I have known these people for a while, and have dealt with them for a while, but I am leaving them in a couple of weeks. I’ve been good with taking the high road with them but in these last few weeks, I’ve just let my emotions get a hold of me because I just want to be away from them ASAP, and the time is frustrating me.

I am perfectly happy taking the high road. Once I have dropped a bomb that I am sure makes them super angry. I just get all Zen and refuse to listen to what they say.

Wait, that is probably not really the high road.

I try to weigh up whether what I feel I should do is really taking the high road or getting on my high horse. If it’s the former, and I’ve evaluated the situation and considered the outcomes I can predict, but I still think that’s the way I have to go, I act and deal with the fall out. It might be some people are pissed off with me, but if I truly believe my actions were right, I can wear that. At other times my evaluation leads me to believe the better option is to go with the flow. Pick your battles, even if you’re in the right. Live to fight another day and all that.

In contrast, when I’m getting on my high horse, rather than taking the high road, I have so often ended up with egg on my face. So I do try to make sure I think before I act. Sometimes, I fail completely.

I’ve taken the “high road” many times. Imagine my surprise and ultimate disappointment to discover that I was actually on the “self righteous road” without knowing it. That’s a dead end.

Sure, who hasn’t. I am, however, an earnest student of the ” I don’t give a shit” camp the last 10 years or so. Really I don’t. I speak my truth to bullshitters without apology and the rest I ignore as to allow oneself to become upset at ignorant and dysfunctional people with horrible communication skills is an exercise in futility. Go forth and be as stupid as you want, not my problem. lol

Usually I’m good with long term/big picture kind of situations, but sometimes my emotions get the best of me a split-second situation. Like losing my temper with my kids or something. I always regret it.