One thing I’ve learned, it’s a learning moment when I get annoyed, irritated or angered by someone, this is especially true when it comes to the people closest to me. My first reaction is to feel discord, discomfort, disharmony, disagreement or incompatibility and I just want to respond by ignoring, avoiding, or escalate with friction, tension or antagonism but when I let that reaction subside and not make it about myself and use some self-reflection and awareness, I realize there’s a blindspot, or an unresolved issue I have with myself. What it usually looks like is that I do the same exact thing that was annoying me and have a similar “problem” or maybe their action is exposing some unaddressed truth about myself, something I didn’t like about myself in the past but changed or thought I resolved. But that’s really just the first level and not very actionable. The action item is I have to forgive myself for that place in my life or blindspot. I need to have more grace and compassion for myself which also in turn produces more compassion and empathy for others. Relinquishing that judgment, I’m able to redirect what might be toxic, narcissistic energy into productive, empathetic and selfless energy.