Hit the Reset Button

True Story

One weekend, my husband and I were in the car on our way to run errands.  We had tried to fit too much into our weekend and were out of sorts.  I was so cranky that I was cranky about feeling cranky but just couldn’t pull myself out of it.  Then, while driving, he leaned over and pressed his forefinger to my forehead.  “What are you doing?” I asked.  “Hitting the reset button,” he replied with a smile.  I pressed his forehead in return and we had a good laugh.  I appreciated his willingness to restart the day with me, and in fact, he had essentially given me permission to do just that.  We did and it made all the difference that day.

Of course, sometimes one of us will press the other’s forehead and hear, “Why are you resetting me?  It’s you that needs to be reset!”  Yet even this tends to produce laughter.

Testing this Technique

About a week later, we were in New York City for a day of fun with my sister and two of my nieces.  They had just endured a long ride in the car, and our day of fun had started with some whines and moans.  I told my niece the story of how her uncle and I had discovered the reset button, and then I pressed my finger to her forehead.  She gave me a big smile and seemed relieved to have her frustration diffused.  Her mother gave me a big smile, too.

Try This On Your Own

Next time you find yourself smack in the middle of a mood you really don’t feel like carrying through the day, try hitting the reset button.  Give yourself permission to start fresh, right in the middle of the day.  Try it on your own at work.  Try it at home with someone close to you.  Most important is your own willingness to wipe the slate clean.