Out of sync
Zigging and zagging
My mother sewed many of the dresses I wore as a child. I became a lousy seamstress unless you count button and hem repair as accomplishments. To mitigate my shame, both of my sisters were able to sew up anything they wanted. I wonder if there is some metaphor for my life in there. Let’s move on. There are times when life feels off kilter. Something that usually hums along as just a cruel pain in the neck elevates itself into a bigger deal. These can include family members, illness, money, work or relationship explosions. Some of the devices just require clean up after going off and some are violent enough to start little battles. To get away often requires a little defensive maneuvering and the straight shot leaves the area wide open for more impact. Maybe someone zigged when you thought they were going to zag. Usually, the little issues are handled by some increased attention. These can feel like being called into the principal’s office. The stomach alerts us that we probably shouldn’t stop off for a donut, but the mind really wants something sweet to counteract. It’s more difficult to make great decisions when your spidey-sense is tingling. There may be a little residual effect after the dilemma is cleaned up. It may leave you in one of those bad moods for an afternoon. The biggest take away may be that it didn’t have to happen. When we know that a dustup could have been avoided, we tend to think like those loud commentators at sporting events who suddenly know what the player should or should not have done. Play by play on life can be annoying, particularly when it is already playing in your head and someone else wants to add on. Time to get away from the game.
Smaller challenges happen more often than the colossal ones. You might think for just a moment about something that almost happened, but more head space is taken up by the minute ones that do. Knowing what makes you feel frazzled sets you up for better understanding. So does knowing what kind of donut you like.
Conditioning works
Option #1: What has most recently made you nervous?
Option #2: What does your bad mood feel like?
Option #3: Can you silently distract yourself by providing play by play in your own head?
That’s it. After you choose the option that best describes what upsets you, take a few minutes to describe why you chose that option and what action, if any, may come next.
