Driving a car on a highway can be stressful. You leave the house with just enough time to get to your doctor’s appointment. Halfway there, you see brake lights everywhere. I would think most people have had this experience in one form or another. (Maybe you’re not in a car but on a subway, bus, or train having difficulties.) Everyone around is getting agitated. People are cutting in front of people, horns are blowing everywhere, and cars are starting to drive in the breakdown lane.
You feeling this yet? Do I need to keep going? You have some words to say because the person next to you won’t let you in the lane. Someone else is giving you hand gestures. How do you react? Do you react the same way you did in the past? Do you have another look? Well, let’s take another look through a different set of glasses.
We cannot change our circumstances, but we can change our attitude towards them. We see all the brake lights, and immediately we have a choice of how we are going to relate to the situation. Are we going to be getting aggravated or swearing, which can lead to aggressive behavior?
You could instead say “Oh look, life is going to slow down for a bit right now.” Or, “Oh look, that person over there is acting out; let me take a minute to just share calmness.” Spread whatever peaceful orientation feels appropriate.
Your blood pressure stays low; your heart rate stays steady. All signs that you are staying in a place of peace. That is what it is all about. By staying peaceful, whether we recognize it or not, we share the peace with all around us. An added bonus is we get where we are going, and we are not strung out. All it took was just changing your attitude toward a circumstance.
Thank you so much for your time. Have a great week. Remember – if you get caught in traffic or whatever situation leads to frustration, put on another pair of glasses. Take another look.
Theresa Contaxis 