I’ve come across an interesting story on the Facebook page of Mindful Schools. I’d like to bring here the story as it was told on Facebook:
‘A psychologist walked around a room while teaching stress management to an audience. As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they’d be asked the “half empty or half full” question. Instead, with a smile on her face, she inquired: “How heavy is this glass of water?”
Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz.
She replied, “The absolute weight doesn’t matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it’s not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I’ll have an ache in my arm. If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb and paralyzed. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn’t change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.”
She continued, “The stresses and worries in life are like that glass of water. Think about them for a while and nothing happens. Think about them a bit longer and they begin to hurt. And if you think about them all day long, you will feel paralyzed – incapable of doing anything.”
Remember to put the glass down.’
(Courtesy of Jimmy Harmon)
Now, I’d like to to suggest something a bit different to the “catch” that was brought in the end. The stresses we hold on to in life will definitely weigh more and more (in our experience) the longer we hold on to them.
It’s not about ‘thinking’, it’s about releasing. Not thinking about something won’t make it go away. If we don’t think about the stress we hold on to, it doesn’t mean we made it disappear, it means we kept ourselves busy enough to not think about it. But the stress is still there, taking its toll on our lives. We need to let go.
How to let go?
It starts with a choice we make – to be mindful and aware of our issues, face our demons and willing to experience life without them. And then? There are numerous ways to let go, each one of us needs to find what’s best for them. Personally, I find Rebirthing Breathwork to be brilliant!
