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Lately, I've been thinking more about relationships and what I contribute to them and how they affect me. Someone recently asked me to define what it means to be a "successful human being", in context, and here's what I came up with...

behaving toward others in a manner that is consistent with my beliefs, goals, and philosophy; treating others the way I'd like to be treated

It sounds so simple, until someone does something that pisses me off. Then I'm forced to examine the question "who is pissing me off?"

It comes down to ownership and control - I can only own my own feelings and behavior, and only have any kind of control over my own feelings and behavior. So when I'm inclined to blame someone else for what I feel, I'm trying to stop and examine that. They aren't pissing me off, I'm becoming pissed off. I can't control their behavior or feelings, only my own.

So ultimately, it seems like the simplest rule for me is "the Golden Rule"...

do unto others as you would have others do unto you

Simple, and clear and clean. Then I'm only left with the question "why am I getting pissed off?"