As the good people over in the Fediverse have heard to no end:

I've been doing a lot of personal work.

I got tired of being a surly, touchy, reactionary boy. It really does fuck with one's relationships. Of course no one had time for my bullshit; I collected bullshit all day, every day. Of course people weren't as willing to share with me; they had no idea if I'd chuckle, fly off the handle for the next twenty seconds, or simply shrug and say nothing.

I recognized that I'm not a person who accepts things. Reality occurs, and my first response is to rail and spit and swear about any portion of it that doesn't meet my hopes or expectations—which, previously, meant that I spent so much of my day complaining in five-second increments.

I decided to change those reactions. I decided to accept things as they happened. I decided that if I took a moment to grumble, I could take another two moments to find a single good aspect for which I could be grateful. I could take additional moments to look for the (frequent) absurdity of the situation. I could take just as much time to stop, accept Reality, roll my eyes or have a chuckle, and remain relaxed.

It was worth the time and effort. All of my relationships are better, happier ones. People tell me things again, unafraid to include me in a plan or to share a funny story, a silly idea. I can make the drives between ATX & HTX without needing to be held afterward as I chug a huge margarita. I can take my kiddo out once, sometimes even twice each day; not only is driving less fraught, but I have energy reserves I used to expend on staccatto blasts of frustration.

As I tell the people close to me,

I'm sure everyone wishes I'd gotten here a couple decades ago, but it's nice to be here now.