“They want you and Thumper for the hot tub shoot,” I told Baddy as we sat watching Axel at football practice. “Really?” he asked nonchalantly. I nodded yes, and we went back to watching Axel pummel and get pummeled on the field.
“I wonder who they matched you with for your wife and other children,” I said. He looked at me to see if I was hurt that they only wanted half the family. I was smiling. He asked what was so funny, and I said how much more humorous things seem when you don’t have any expectations. “What’s funny,” I explained, “is that you’re so nonplussed that you got the job, and I’m so nonplussed that Axel, Hootie-Hoo and I were rejected, other than the fact that we could have made a much-needed extra $1,000.”
This new way of thinking, letting go and living in the moment, has been helping me significantly, along with a concentrated effort to work out to the point of exhaustion to calm my mind and soothe my nerves. It’s not easy to fit in the time, but right now it’s a necessity, so that I can keep doing everything I’m called on to do without agitation, putting my mind and soul into it.
Metaphors for Living in the Moment
As I go through my days, little things happen that fill my toolbox with metaphors:
- Don’t get stuck in a rut. In fact, stay away from the rut at all costs. But if you fall in, either accelerate and give it your all to get out, or get off what you’re on and walk, and while walking, try to notice everything around you along the way.
- When you’re going, go until you feel satiated, but know when to stop. It’s not just about lowering your expectations; it’s about not having any.
- If an opportunity arises to make some time for yourself, don’t make excuses. Make it happen.
- Most importantly, if somebody is making you feel bad about yourself, analyze what they’re saying. If there’s any truth in it, think of it as an opportunity for growth (this comes from Stefan Grafstein). If there’s no truth in it, put out your suitcase, fill it with their bad energy and stow it safely, far away from your inner self. That baggage is theirs, not yours (this I adapted from Lisa Smith, who suggested holding out a basket for loved ones when they say things that could hurt us).
Oh, and one more thing: if you’re like me, a bull who charges into everything, be aware of the people around you. They may not understand you and may run for fear of getting pierced by your horns, leaving you all alone wondering where everybody went.
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