Life can be the most frustrating thing in the world. We make
plans, and they almost always fall apart. We want things to arrive early, and
they show up late—or vice versa. So many elements are completely out of our
control, and because of that, staying mindful and happy can feel almost
impossible.
But no matter what chaos we encounter, we always have a
choice: we get to choose how we perceive the situation.
Take last Monday. I had jury duty for the first time, and it
was an excruciatingly annoying experience. I didn't even make it into a
courtroom; I just had to sit in a room for hours watching HGTV. Then there’s
this week—I had a new dishwasher being delivered with a window of 8:00 AM to
12:00 PM. Naturally, the window closed, and they were nowhere to be found.
It’s frustrating because we ordered furniture a few weeks
ago, and that guy showed up early. Then he got mad at us and
chastised us for not being home yet! It’s like the situation with doctors: they
can make you sit in the waiting room as long as they want, but God forbid
you’re five minutes late. Then they start talking about canceling you.
So, what do you do when life throws these hurdles into your
busy schedule?
There is only one thing you can do: Breathe. Just
take a nice, deep breath and accept that sometimes, shit is just fucked up.
While you're stuck waiting, look for the opportunity in the delay. Maybe you
can read a book, write some poetry, catch up on emails, or just listen to some
music.
There is always an alternative as long as you have your
breath and the willingness to look for one. Changing your perception requires
an open mind. It’s about being flexible and understanding that life demands flexibility.
It’s exactly what we learn in yoga: finding comfort in the discomfort.
Unless a situation is life-changing or life-threatening,
it’s really nothing to worry about. Of course, the anxiety bug might still try
to take over, and you might panic a little bit. That’s perfectly okay. You just
have to reach into your toolkit and remind yourself that you’re still
breathing, you’re still living, and you still have another chance to make
everything okay.
I know there are days when things just completely suck and
you want to quit. Just remember: if you quit, there’s a good possibility you
won’t get another chance to make things right.
It’s all about flexibility, perception, and willingness. If
we can bring those three things together, we can make beautiful music—even if
we aren't in the same room. This is a call to all of humanity: let’s focus our
energy on the things that are actually important and stop wasting it on the
things that aren't.
NMF.
M
