That moment when you are told your flight is delayed (in fact, we’re writing this whilst sitting on a delayed plane right now). Or when you get to the bottom of the escalator and the doors of your train close in front of you. Or when you get to the bathroom and there is a long line for the cubicles. Or when the traffic light turns red on you.
In all these scenarios, there is always two ways of viewing the situation:
- An inconvenience;
- An opportunity.
Hear us out here…
A change in expectation doesn’t NEED to become a source of suffering. Think about it…there is nothing that you can do about it now. Dwelling on whether you could have booked a different flight, walked faster, drunk less, or driven quicker won’t actually help your current position. All it will do is make your current experience worse.
What if instead you could notice the sensation in your chest which translates as frustration, and then swiftly recognise these next few seconds or minutes as an opportunity to relish in some me-time. Rather than reach for your nearest device to catch up on other people’s lives, use the opportunity to catch up on your own. Take a purposeful pause. Belly breathe. Tune into each of your senses. Scan for bodily sensations. Observe your surroundings. Meditate.
This way you will save yourself a stress response and both your mind and body will thank you for it later!
