The Healing Power of NASCAR

Wait. What?

That’s right; I said the healing power of NASCAR. Substitute football, basketball, your favorite reality TV show, anything that can get you all het up.

Dale Earnhardt ~ probably the most loved and most hated
driver in NASCAR  1951-2001

Let me explain:  I try to be kind. I really do. I pull over to let drivers go ahead of me so neither of us gets upset. I send loving thoughts to people I see walking down the street. I smile at the person next to me in line at the store and I have gotten really good at managing my snarkyness from coming out so as not to put my foot in my mouth. But, I need an outlet. I need to be able to be snarky, to yell and say a bad word or two. So I give myself a few hours a week to let go and be as inappropriate as I want.

I can yell and swear about the 48, 14 or 18 being in the lead.
I can be snarky about the announcers saying the same things over and over.
 I can jump up and down when the 16, 24, 11 or 15 are up front and I can feel huge disappointment when something happens to take them out of the race.
I admit that I like the occasional wreck and a good rivalry is always fun to watch.
And then it is over and I have a much easier time getting back to being nice.

So, in a way, I am healed by NASCAR and I think you should find something that can heal you in the same way.

 Do you have a favorite sports team that you love to watch? Do the real housewives make you crazy? Give yourself a break and let your snark flag fly. Then go back to being the nice person that you really are. You'll thank yourself for it.

Who or what do you love to hate? What do you do to give yourself a break from being on your good behavior?