Pearl Away Your Irritation

By Inspiration Gal | December 13, 2010 | Relationships

A pearl is perhaps one of the most beautiful gems found on earth. Most of us have a pearl necklace or earrings that we love to wear. I love the look of a pearl as much as any other woman, but truly admire the story of a pearl.

True natural pearls are formed from a series of accidents. A happy clam is minding its business in the ocean. An irritant comes along and plants itself inside of the happy clam. The clam forms a pearl sac to seal off the irritation. Sometime later, we have a beautiful pearl. ItΓÇÖs the unwelcome irritant that produces this fine gem.

Like a clamΓÇÖs life, our lives are full of irritations. Finances, traffic, relationships, and your job can all produce irritants in your life. And what do so many of us do when we are irritated? We complain and get frustrated, and sometimes depressed.

Did it ever occur to you that irritants are good things? If it has not, you should begin thinking of them that way. Irritants force you to adapt and mold yourself into a better person. Just like how every cloud has a silver lining, every irritant in your life can be a pearl. Some pearls maybe harder to find than others, but when you find yourself getting irritated by something or someone, make a habit of discovering the pearl.

Perhaps you get irritated about your co-workers. DonΓÇÖt complain about them; work towards improving that relationship. LetΓÇÖs be real, at every job you have, someone will make you irate, whether itΓÇÖs your boss or the copy room guy. But when you learn how to deal with that person, you will be better equipped to deal with the difficult person at your next job. Learning how to deal with a difficult person will always be valuable ΓÇô that is your pearl.

I used to be very sloppy about balancing my checking account. IΓÇÖd forget to record checks and would never check my account balance. A few years ago, I deposited a check into my account around 4 p.m. and assumed it would post on that day. Imagine my horror when I learned I had bounced a check I wrote. I was so irritated at my bank! I learned that deposits made after 2 p.m. were posted on the next day. I started searching for a bank that would post deposits the same day if they were made before 5 p.m.

To my surprise, there was no bank like that. I couldn’t change the bank system, so I had to change myself!

I began keeping closer tabs on my money. I checked my account daily and of course never made a deposit after 2 p.m, if I wanted it to post the same day. I took the irritant and made a pearl. If I hadnΓÇÖt bounced that check, I probably would still be sloppy about balancing my checking account and running to the bank at the last minute to make a deposit.

So donΓÇÖt get bogged down by the irritants in your life. At the end of every irritating situation, there is a pearl for you. Like real pearls, some are big, some are small and some are more valuable than others. Just remember, you have to discover them!

Choose To Be Happy,
Inspiration Gal

photo credit: Suat Eman/FDP.net