I Wonder About These Stories...

Today is a story day at my house. At times like these, we all get caught up (at least a bit), in those stressful stories spun so exquisitely by the mind. I can see it happening in others, and I feel it happening in me; the mind is in charge a little more than usual. I know this, because my friend stress tells me so, and the mind has a story about that too. This story says "Stress is bad, you should be present so the stress goes away." What I notice is that, when I follow this story, I resist what is (stress) and I feel the normal effects of that resistance (more stress). I try to get rid of it and the old 'What you resist persists' law seems to kick in.  But luckily, a few years back, I discovered an alternative. I noticed that, when I allow the feeling, embrace it even, I come straight back to the present. The stress then becomes just another part of now, like the breath, or the birds singing.  Treat stress like a friend and it becomes one. And today I wanted to share this simple but powerful way to make stress a force for good in your life.