In “Positive Psychology: An Introduction”, Martin Seligman writes about the time he was weeding in the garden with his five-year-old daughter.
He yelled at her because she was throwing weeds into the air and generally fooling around. She ran away and then came back. According to the article, here’s what happened next:
“Daddy, I want to talk to you.”
“Yes, Nikki?”
“Daddy, do you remember before my fifth birthday?
“From the time I was three to the time I was five, I was a whiner. I whined every day. When I turned five, I decided not to whine anymore. That was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. And if I can stop whining, you can stop being such a grouch.”
At that moment, Seligman resolved to change.
At this moment, you can do the same.
(In the spirit of full disclosure, I posted this today because I was feeling a little, well, grouchy.)