Embracing the dark side

The bears in my household outnumber me. They are there in the morning, facing me with their anger at the fact that the sun has risen in the sky yet again, forcing them from their slumber and making them face another day. I try to focus on my thankfulness that it is another beautiful day; I try to enjoy the morning...but why do people think that it is OK to be snippy just because they are sleepy?

Never mind them. I will head to work and ignore the fact that I am stuck in traffic behind a person who is driving 5 mph under the speed limit for reasons unknown and that they are now not paying any attention to what lane they are in so I can't even pass them safely. I will listen to my podcasts and stay well out of their way.

Once at work, I will be a willing/unwilling participant in 12 meetings, and get an instant message from someone complaining that they are unable to book me for a meeting because my calendar is too full (oh! the irony! I could bottle it!). I will sweetly tell them that I am a very popular girl and try to find them a time next week.

My default setting in life is set to "nice." But science tells me that maybe I should embrace my grumpy side. In an article that I fully admit that my positive self cannot fully understand, sometimes it pays to be angry. I understand the article's research - I really do - but here's the thing: As someone who occasionally has to listen to angry people at work, I don't get it. I am much more responsive to the people in life who are nice to me and who are helpful and cooperative than the jerks who are complaining and making life more difficult for everyone.

So, I reject all that research: Nice people unite! Let's meet up for breakfast and pet some cute animals or do something equally uplifting. All those grumpy people can complain about us away from our hearing.

What gets you grumpy? Tell me in the comments.