I have mentioned once or twice that I am taking a class on Thursdays which revolves around mentally healthy habits for adults.  I missed last week, due to the cold (or whatever it was) from hell, and was reviewing last week’s work before class today.

Last week covered the concept of a “pleasant events schedule.”  That is, rather than letting good things arise organically from your experiences and surroundings, you actively plan in a certain amount of pleasant events every week, with a minimum of one a day.  Pleasant events ranged from “traveling abroad” to “recognizing you have done a good job” or “thinking how much more fortunate you are than others you may know.”

Looking down the list, I noticed that “throttling people in your life who oh-so-richly deserve it”* is not on there.  Pity.

A lot of other activities on the list have potentially significant downsides: flirting, eating, gambling, sex.  Why not a little premeditated homicide?

No, I have to remember that throttling people is wrong. Oh, wait, no, that’s judgmental.  I am supposed to avoid being judgmental.  I should instead say “throttling people is inconsistent with my core value which requires me to respect the sanctity of human life.”

But sometimes it is also very tempting.

*No, there is no one right this minute who is annoying me that much, but I just recognize the general principle.