Life is a matter of perception. Stress transformation allows you to view the world a little differently, often with big results.
Here are some examples:
1. Initial Impression - A colleague who is making more errors than usual.
Change of Heart - You learn that they are dealing with a terminally ill family member.
2. Initial Impression - You are stuck in traffic going over the bridge. You're worried that you will be late.
Change of Heart - As you inch your way over the bridge, you later discover that the reason for the slow progress is a serious medical emergency.
3. Initial Impression - Here is one of a personal nature. It is my policy to follow-up with the parents after I've finished working with their child. This particular time, I didn't get a return call. I started to worry (worry = stress), thinking that they weren't happy with what I did. Self-doubt began to incubate.
Change of Heart - Two weeks later, I received a call, saying a) that they had been out of town and b) that my young client was doing exceptionally well. I have since learned to step off the treadmill of worry, in circumstances such as this one.
A change in perception can make a difference to you and to those around you. It gives you an opportunity to offer up the gift of compassion, which is a powerful stress undresser.
When has a change of heart benefited you?
Marianna,
The ‘treadmill of worry.’ Wow, that resonates. And, your 3 examples are illustrative. Perhaps it’s the ‘fight or flight’ reaction that spurs us to worry and stress in preparation for the ‘worst possible result.’ However, I love the idea of–and aspire to practice–‘changing my perception’ in these situations. Often, the cause for a client’s unreturned call or a colleague’s excessive work mistakes are ‘not’ what we instinctively suspect, as you eloquently describe. Your blog post is a great reminder to all of us to be a bit more open-minded as to the reasons when things don’t always go as we expect. I love the video, too! So uplifting!