It’s ONLY a Paper Cut

Photo courtesy Julia Freeman-Woolpert

What were the circumstances surrounding your last paper cut? Where were you? When did it happen?

I'll bet that you're having trouble recalling this event which was painful at the time. How can such a small thing like a paper cut draw so much attention? Simple. It hurt - whenever you answered the phone, picked up a pen or grabbed hold of the steering wheel.

The paper cut eventually healed and no longer demanded your attention. You resumed using your hands normally instead of favouring your boo boo.

It's often the little things that add up over time that create stress and cause us to get worn out and worn down. Similar to the small paper cut of which you were consciously aware.

A remarkable thing happens when you transform your stress. Instead of focusing on the things that stress you and how to avoid them, paradoxically causing you more stress, your attention gently starts to shift. The negative things that were clamouring for your attention just seem to evaporate as stress-driven issues heal.

You start living your life the way it was meant to be lived; naturally-filled with the things that bring you joy!

Do you remember your last paper cut? While you were having fun, did you suddenly stop and think about how painful that paper cut was? I hope the answer is "No." Why stop when you're enjoying yourself?

6 Replies to “It’s ONLY a Paper Cut”

  1. Thank you, Marianna.

    It is “the little things that add up over time that create stress and cause us to get worn out and worn down”.

    For me, it is those little things that I find I’m at battle with by first giving it power.

    They are little things, too. And when those happen I remember, Towanda ๐Ÿ™‚

    See: http://tinyurl.com/5q5qww

    (though I’ve never acted on this, the thought does have a calming affect)

    ๐Ÿ™‚

  2. No, I do not remember the last time that I had a paper cut. I however do remember vividly the cut in my finger last week when I was cutting a mango. It stayed painful for five days and acted as a reminder of that particular accident. Sometimes, little things can become big problems and when the doctor had a look at the cut, he insisted that I take a tetanus shot and take some antibiotics. We cannot afford to ignore them either.

  3. Casper,
    We give it power because we are worn out and everything becomes a big deal.

    As far as Towanda goes…well, she was at the end of her rope, if I remember correctly. It didn’t take much to tip her over. Which is what see on our highways and in our offices.

    Stress can be the catalyst that moves us from only thinking about it, to doing it.

    Ramana, You’re right. The little things may be messages that are trying to get our attention before they become big things.

    Glad that you’ve mended!

  4. I’m bikehikebabe but don’t know how to quit being anonymous.

    All the while I was reading “It’s Only a Paper Cut” I was singing “It’s Only a Paper Moon”. Why do I remember the melody & words to a song popular 60 years ago so that I can’t concentrate on the words at hand? Maybe A.D.D. But I did hear you & No, when I’m having fun & get a paper cut I think OUCH! & the fun goes away. Too bad!

  5. BikeHikeBabe,

    Is that a rhetorical question re. quitting being anonymous?

    Unbeknowst to you, unless you have powers that we don’t yet know about, you’ve provided me with a beautiful segueway for my next post! Stay tuned! ๐Ÿ™‚

  6. bikehikebabe here/I tried out your Paper Cut response.

    I have a large ant hill behind my house. I need to water it because ant hills aren’t indigenous to this area. It’s made of little needles, but there was one long needle that several ants were tugging at. One end was stuck & I tried to help them, but one ant bit me. (“No good deed goes unpunished.”)

    It stung but I’d been feeling good & I was able to keep that feeling by laughing at myself.

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