Stress Buster Tip: Don’t Steal the Soap!

I was having one of those days where my mind was going in a thousand directions.  My thoughts were of my to-do list along with some other concerns.  I was not feeling very inspired, so my dog got the benefit of my mood- I took her for a walk. 

As I began to walk I noticed that I was so lost in thought that I was not aware of walking.  I began to look at the shadows on the pavement and the nature around me.  Soon I was feeling much more centered, aware of what was around me. 

To further explain the concept of a busy mind, here is a recent story that my daughter shared with me.   She called and asked if I wanted to hear a story about my crazy daughter, at which I had to ask “which one?”   She clarified that it was she.  She had been at the market and stopped in the restroom.  She had her parcel and a bottle of water, which she put down and after she washed her hands she picked up her parcels and water and left the bathroom, feeling a bit more encumbered.  As she walked out, she saw a woman staring at her in a strange way.  When my daughter followed the woman’s gaze, she realized that the woman was staring at a bottle of soap that was tucked under her arm.  Yes, she had walked out of the bathroom with the soap!  Had the woman not found it a strange site, she probably would have walked through downtown Chicago with soap sticking out of her arm.  Who knows, maybe she could have been arrested for soap theft!

This mishap had nothing to do with intellect; rather it was her busy mind. She reported that she had a lot going on and she wasn’t focused.  Her mind was in the future.

This is very common and we all live this way from time to time.  I would say many of us live our entire lives this way. 

It only takes a few seconds to get yourself back to the moment.  When you are out and about, begin to notice your surroundings.  When I walked my dog, I noticed that I was walking the dog and what was surrounding me.  Simple and effective.

Try it right now. Notice what is in your line of site.  Throughout your day, take a moment to notice your surroundings.  It will become a habit in no time. 

This leaves me wondering, how many bottles of soap does my daughter have???

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