22-Jul-2010

Pass the Popcorn

Intermission from Stress

Sometimes you just wanna scream! Life is full of responsibilities, needs, worries, demands on your time, and so on, and so on. It can seem like there isn’t enough time in the day to breathe!

As soon as this feeling arises, step back and say, “Pass the popcorn.” It’s a simple mantra, but very effective. Watch the hassles and demands of your life as if they are playing on the big screen, as if they are happening to another person. You’ll often get a good laugh from this process. For more depth, see if you can detect this character’s arc: how will he/she have to change in order to achieve his/her goals? At this distance, what can you see that the character can’t? Once you take a deep breath and gain some perspective, jump back onto the screen, dig into your life and integrate the feeling of relief you’ve felt. Know that the script is written and a happy ending awaits you.

Recommended: The Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction to the Practice of Meditation