a psychologist walked around a room while teaching stress management to an audience. as she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they’d be asked the “half empty or half full” question. instead, with a smile on her face, she inquired: “how heavy is this glass of water?”
answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz.
she replied, “the absolute weight doesn’t matter. it depends on how long i hold it. if i hold it for a minute, it’s not a problem. if i hold it for an hour, i’ll have an ache in my arm. if i hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb and paralyzed. in each case, the weight of the glass doesn’t change, but the longer i hold it, the heavier it becomes.”
she continued, “the stresses and worries in life are like that glass of water. think about them for a while and nothing happens. think about them a bit longer and they begin to hurt. and if you think about them all day long, you will feel paralyzed – incapable of doing anything.”
remember to put the glass down.
