Life's Little Frustrations
Today I am grateful for time with my good friends Jill and Dorothy; time to catch up, time to just sit and talk. I am also grateful for the lessons available through life's little frustrations.
Some days things seem to roll along quite smoothly. Other days can seem riddled with glitches. Most days for most of us include some of each. What I have learned from practicing prayer, meditation, habitual gratitude, and trying to stay present in this moment is that I handle life's little frustrations much better when I am practicing mindfulness than when I am not.
Yesterday's little frustrations included a couple that had to do with coupons, just your basic coupons. If I would have had one with me I could have combined one errand into two. I try so hard (too hard at times) to be efficient and hate to miss an opportunity. As it turned out, I got the coupon I wanted and still did that other errand, only to be frustrated that the coupon item had just sold out. The cashier literally said "the last two just left." Aargh!
Life's little frustrations like hoping to make quick work of the grocery list and seeming to get in every slow moving/traffic jammed aisle the store had.
I used to have many days where things like this would have just been another excuse to add on a little more "poor me." My perception would have become further skewed and my outlook more negative.
I can still have days like that, but they are fewer and farther between. And they don't last all day even when they do happen. Laughing it off, breathing in a little acceptance, keeping it all in perspective and not taking life or myself too seriously, all help. I found myself being patient and smiling with my fellow shoppers yesterday. I really didn't need to be in a hurry, so I slowed my pace and got things done in a more relaxed fashion. It still surprises me at times that this approach works and works well.
Practicing gratitude helps set me up to take life's little frustrations in stride rather than see them as obstacles.
Some days things seem to roll along quite smoothly. Other days can seem riddled with glitches. Most days for most of us include some of each. What I have learned from practicing prayer, meditation, habitual gratitude, and trying to stay present in this moment is that I handle life's little frustrations much better when I am practicing mindfulness than when I am not.
Yesterday's little frustrations included a couple that had to do with coupons, just your basic coupons. If I would have had one with me I could have combined one errand into two. I try so hard (too hard at times) to be efficient and hate to miss an opportunity. As it turned out, I got the coupon I wanted and still did that other errand, only to be frustrated that the coupon item had just sold out. The cashier literally said "the last two just left." Aargh!
Life's little frustrations like hoping to make quick work of the grocery list and seeming to get in every slow moving/traffic jammed aisle the store had.
I used to have many days where things like this would have just been another excuse to add on a little more "poor me." My perception would have become further skewed and my outlook more negative.
I can still have days like that, but they are fewer and farther between. And they don't last all day even when they do happen. Laughing it off, breathing in a little acceptance, keeping it all in perspective and not taking life or myself too seriously, all help. I found myself being patient and smiling with my fellow shoppers yesterday. I really didn't need to be in a hurry, so I slowed my pace and got things done in a more relaxed fashion. It still surprises me at times that this approach works and works well.
Practicing gratitude helps set me up to take life's little frustrations in stride rather than see them as obstacles.
Comments
Post a Comment