I’ve had a problem with my neighbour parking her car willy nilly on our nature strip for the same amount of time 6 ½ years. I reckon I’m a good neighbour but she likes my shaded nature strip particularly in Summer so her car doesn’t get so hot. So she abandons her driveway and her nature strip for my nature strip.
The problem really only arises on hot days so it hasn’t been a continuous dispute for 6 ½ years. I did knock on her door 6 years ago and asked her not to park there. A couple of weeks later the car returned to my nature strip. Then I moved a massive rock towards the spot. I ran out of puff on that one and nearly got it the whole way. So then she angled her car differently. Then I planted the cheapest plant I could find. She waited until it died a couple of days later and then continued to park in her preferred spot.
So I was coming home last week. I’d admit I was hot, tired and irritable. And there was her car again parked on my nature strip. So I internally whinged again. Has she no manners? Why do I have to look at her car etc etc.
And then I got my idea that night. “Checkmate Whinging”. I needed to either fall over and accept the situation or checkmate it. Otherwise I was always going to be whingeing to myself. So I gathered multiple big rocks and placed them on my nature strip. Now there is nowhere for her to park! It’s a checkmate. The cost is that I’ll likely have an angry neighbour but the situation is over. So I’ll leave you with some thoughts.
What do you internally whinge about? Make a list and then make a checkmate move and decide if it’s worth the price. If it’s not then maybe just learn to accept it and stop internally whingeing.
Here are some examples:
I hate my job – Checkmate – Quit
The kids treat me like a bank withdrawal – Checkmate – Tell them you won’t give them any extra money no matter how much they ask
My inlaws criticise my cooking – Checkmate don’t cook for them again