Sharing Your Pet Peeves Reduces Stress

We all have pet peeves; something that angers us that others do. yesterday I experienced my #2; a tailgater. He didn't just tailgate, he was literally 5-8 inches off my bumper. I signaled him to back off and he switched lanes.  Peeve solved.

The thing about pet peeves is, in general, it is behavior in others that you cannot control. Knowing the solution and not being able to enact it is what causes your anger.

For example, the largest, by far, workplace pet peeve is poor communication. Generally, according to studies, it starts at the top. What are you going to do, go to your boss and tell them they suck at writing memos or communicating needs or information to the staff?  Nope! You are going to try and work around it as best you can. Sadly, that doesn't help, so you just blow it off.

Talking about your pet peeve with someone who has a sympathetic ear actually helps. When you realize you aren't alone in the frustration, you relax. The problem isn't solved, but you feel better. And that is important for your overall well being.