As I sit here about to write about the frustration that I’m feeling, some window replacement guys start work on the house next door. They are really noisy!
I take it personally. Why are they disturbing me when I’m trying to work?!
An hour ago, my laptop stalled as it tried to start up. I couldn’t rectify it.
I take it personally. Why does this b****y machine have to break down now when I’m wanting to check my emails?!
Forty minutes ago, ‘someone’ solved the laptop issue by doing something really technical – holding the power button down until the laptop switched off and then could be restarted. Something I had tried several times already!
I take it personally. Why does he have to make me feel stupid, making out he’s better than me at stuff?!
Twenty minutes ago, I try to make an online GP appointment. I was following instructions given to me by the GP’s receptionist yesterday when I went to the surgery to make an appointment. Seems you can’t do that anymore; it has to be done online. The booking link is disabled. Until tomorrow.
I take it personally. Why are they stopping me from getting a service that I’m entitled to, that I pay for!
A minute ago the sound of a neighbour’s landline ringtone pushes it’s way into my already full frustration bucket.
I take it personally. Who do they think they are, letting that b****y tune blast out into my space?! Who uses a landline these days anyway?! And Beethoven’s Fur Elise for God’s Sake! That’ll be stuck in my head for hours!
And then, as if that’s not enough, one of the window replacement company guys decides to join in with the ringtone and whistle along! What is going on?
I take it personally, and then …..
I burst out laughing.
In an instant the feelings of frustration leave me and I’m left sitting here with a big grin on my face.
I then become aware that my body is still reflecting my frustration – tight shoulders, shallow breathing, feet on tiptoes, jaw clenched (even though I’m grinning – try it, it’s possible!).
Then, without me doing anything, my feet put themselves flat on the floor, my shoulders drop and I start to breathe more deeply. Thank Goodness, I’m back.
Little residues of frustration hang about for a while but the feeling has gone.
For now, anyway.
I just spent an hour feeling frustrated, taking things personally and believing that everything existed with the sole purpose of frustrating me!
Like I’m that important!
Looking back from this (current) relaxed and easy-going place, I find myself amazed at my body’s reaction to all that stress. Okay, these were minor issues, but my body didn’t know that, and so responded as if I was at war.
I really did have thoughts of being attacked to be fair, for a whole hour, and so my body did exactly what it was designed to do and went into high alert and defence mode.
To keep me safe, protect me from danger. Ready to fight the baddies (or run away or hide if needed).
My body ‘read’ my thoughts and responded, just as it’s designed to do. It doesn’t have the power to check out whether or not the threat is ‘real’, it’s job is to respond to the pictures in our heads. In other words our thoughts!
I’m now left feeling very grateful for having a body that has my back and will respond to threat of danger in an instant. I now feel cared for and safe. No baddies to be seen here.
I also feel a little bit bad for raising the troops when they weren’t really required, and I’ll aim to give them a bit of a rest for a while.
They’ll appreciate that, I’m sure.
