Ever need to just keep your cool?
Sure you have. Not a pleasant experience sometimes, keeping you cool that is, yet if you can pull it off, life is so much better than if you lost your cool, went all ape shit or ‘Will Smith’ on someone or something.
Speaking of Will Smith, I am not going to discuss his CHOICES, yes people, he made clear choices, LONG BEFORE the Oscars even started. That is a series of posts. Those choices led to actions which then lead to consequences and we all know the consequence that followed. Suffice to say he planned this little interactions from the moment he learned that Chris Rock would present and was ready to make a statement that was all about himself, his manhood, protecting what was his and being who he wants to be or sees that he is in his mind.
Will did not “Play it Cool” by my definition of “Playing it Cool.” May be he “Played it Cool” according to his own definition, which is all that really matters anyway. My definition guides my actions and his definition guides his actions.
Back to my definition, playing it cool means that when adversity strikes, I am able to cope (manage emotions) though effective and health problem solving (cognitive) skills which leads to behaviors (actions) that help ME obtain what I WANT in that moment.
Playing it cool means that you, through the manner in which you interpret and evaluate the adversity entering your life, are able to manage your emotional volatility so that you can work the problem, find a resolution, if needed, collaborate with others to find a solution that has consensus and continue to feed health and efficacy into your relationships. In short, you keeping your cool, deal with the bullshit of life moment and keep you friends, partner, job, and so on.
That’s a tall order.
And it’s called being an adult-human. It’s what us humans do to survive and thrive. We advocate, collaborate and then negotiate for the purpose be socially manage and enjoy our lives all while keeping our cool.
The Bob Zima Blog 