Tools for Transformation Tuesday: Shake It Off

From a very early age, when our daughter would fall down, we would tell her to "shake it off before it sticks." At nearly three years old, she now immediately pops up after (most) spills and wiggles her little bottom saying, "shake shake shake." This lighthearted approach helps prevent the escalation of small stumbles into epic episodes. It also has proved valuable in other, non physical situations. Whether the scary nighttime shadows outside her room or the unexpected loud noises of our surrounding city streets, she has learned she can acknowledge a disturbance, shake it off, and go on about her day.

The same isn't always true for the rest of us... Too often we allow events that could (and should) be small disturbances to weigh us down. When a car cuts you off on your way to work, do you arrive in a huff? When the barista gives you the wrong drink and you don't realize it until you are halfway down the street, does your annoyance linger throughout your morning? When you wobble in a balance pose does your agitation follow you all the way to savasana? 

Instead of falling victim to small setbacks, can you instead move on? Next time you stumble, acknowledge your frustration, set it aside, and go about your day. Shake it off and see what happens...