Button, button, who’s got YOUR button?

I’m not talking the Staples “Easy” button here. Nope. I’m talking about your buttons that other people push. You know, the ones that set you off. All could be unicorns and rainbows in your world then BAM! Someone pushes a button and the unicorns run away and the little elves come out and take away the rainbow.
I hate that.
There are days when I feel like I am COVERED in buttons. No need to look around for them; they’re out there in all their glory. And quite sensitive, unlike those elevator buttons that people push over and over (as if that makes the elevator arrive quicker. really, people. do you think that the elevator is sitting around, waiting for the 12th press of the button before it actually starts moving???).
Today I was discussing this with my therapist (moving on….), and she suggested that when I feel like my buttons are getting pushed that I try imagine that I am wearing sweat pants and a t-shirt.
Why? No buttons.
My suggestion to you is that the next time you feel that your ‘warning’ buttons are being pushed, stop yourself for a minute and imagine that you are wearing sweats and a t-shirt. If you are already wearing these clothes, try saying to the other person, “do you see any buttons on my clothes?”, then disengage from the conversation.
This will allow them (and you) some time to reflect. They’ll be left trying to figure out what the heck you were talking about, and you can go back to tweeting or playing Angry Birds use that pause to reset your buttons.
-g-