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.
