While running errands the other day, I stopped into Starbucks to grab a bite to eat. I snagged a seat at the counter to enjoy a salad and some tea. I was taking in the true art-form of making coffee and observing the fluidity of the skilled barista.
I moved my focus to the customers anxiously awaiting their beverage of choice. The word that came to mind was PATIENCE. I don't think anyone had it! If you ask my fiance, he will tell you that I don't possess that quality either.
This got me thinking... How is the body responding when we are anxious or impatient? The central nervous system goes into "fight or flight", so it's impossible not to get cranky or frustrated when we are stressed out. I could visibly see their faces scour, the muscles in their necks tense up, and their shoulders rise up to their ears!
Then I thought, what if we approached these situations differently? What if we were honest with ourselves that a stop in the coffee shop will take between 5-10 minutes, maybe 15 if the line is long. If we allow ourselves that time, we can take those 5-10 minutes for some "me" time. We can check out and actually take a deep cleansing breath and slow down the pace of our day. Not all of our time needs to be spend rushing around. There are certain things that are out of our hands and if we accept that, we can bring more calm & peace into our lives and leave Mr./Miss. Cranky at home. When you take care of your mind, you take care of your body. You want to try?