Mute That Horror Flick!
Hi There,
In last week’s message I mentioned the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon. Don’t let the academic-sounding name fool you! It’s akin to buying a new car and then suddenly noticing how many others just like it are on the road.
Similarly, have you ever noticed that when you learn a new concept, you find many places to apply the formula? This happened last September, when I took part in a virtual retreat devoted to The Four Agreements. I spent a lot of time digesting the more nuanced concepts presented by Don Miguel Ruiz’s sons. One that totally jolted me in the moment was a description of a type of stress I’ve always felt. I now discovered it hiding in plain sight.
It was when Miguel Jr. explained that horror movies seem terrifying mostly due to the music accompanying the action. If you mute the sound, the tension in the movie evaporates.
That anxiety is the soundtrack of my life. Thus, I began to name the stressors that contribute to my invisible anticipation.
Do any of the following sound familiar?
• The annual physical or dentist appointment you keep putting off, despite a gnawing health issue.
• Like inflation, your stress about financial circumstances is growing, with no end in sight.
• The little things that pile up, like an overdue car inspection or tax payment.
• The exhaustion of having so much going on that you’re constantly fearful of “what might fall through the cracks”.
While you can’t eliminate this type of stress, you can be honest about what you ARE in control of.
While some of these issues are indeed scary to face, not facing them is not helping you. When I’m stressed, fearful and feeling helpless, action serves to mitigate my condition.
So, take a moment now and bring to mind a situation that lives right under the surface of your consciousness. Jot down a first step to mitigate your related stress. It could be as simple as dropping the expense of one of your streaming services or remembering to schedule your dental cleanings as you’re checking out from the current one.
Once you take your first step in addressing this stressor, notice how you feel. Are you more stressed or less? If it’s more, take a deep breath and recognize the reality that with many things, the way past is through. And give yourself a mental high five for having begun!
Cheers!
-Deborah
Deborah Goldstein
DRIVEN Professionals / Forbes / Linkedin
info@drivenpros.com | LinkedIn
DRIVEN Professionals, 35 Adrienne Lane, Garrison, NY 10524