The alarm didn’t go off this morning, so you’re running late for work.  The gas gauge is on“E”. The driver in the other lane cuts you off and you spill hot coffee in your lap.

You arrive at work, and then you realize . . . it's SATURDAY !

How do you feel?  Relieved?  Irritated? Stressed? Angered?

Stop, tune-in. What do you feel in your body?

Will how you feel at this moment effect the rest of your day?

Will others feel your raft?

Everything can be taken from a man/woman* but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.~            Viktor Frankl~Austrian Neurologist, Psychiatrist, Holocaust Survivor

Another quote from Viktor Frankl states, “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In that space lies our growth and freedom.”

 What if you could change your perception of the thing observed before you respond to it?

Are you on autopilot?  In fact, 99.99% of the time you’re on autopilot; until you know how not to be.

Manage your thoughts; you can mange your stress.

Let’s go back to the beginning of the story:

The alarm didn’t go off this morning: STOP, DROP and BREATHE. What??!

Okay . . . wake up!  STOP; get out of your head.

DROP; put your attention at the base of your spine.

BREATHE; through your nose and out your mouth.

Now, what do you feel. . Has your perception changed?

This took all of 1 minute.

You are calm and now realize it is Saturday, a non-workday.  You now choose to get up or not, but your day is starting off on the right foot. You are at “cause.”

Look, you even had control over your future events.

(1)        Not stressed because you thought and reacted as if you were late for work.

(2)        No one cut you off on the freeway causing your blood pressure to skyrocket.

(3)        No burns or dry cleaning bill from spilled coffee.

(4)        At your leisure, you notice the car is in need of gas. . . no problem,  you go to the        station and fill up.

Now you can enjoy your coffee or tea, take in the aroma; put your feet up and read a good book.

Are you controlling your life or is it controlling you?

Life To All,

Linda

* the word woman was added to quote.