#45 Is it the Story or Actual Experience Causing You Stress?

Welcome back to Finding Joy in the Hard. I'm your host, Suzanne Andorra Baron. 

 When you start to worry or stress out, have you asked yourself if it's the circumstance that is stressing you out or your beliefs about the circumstance that is causing you discomfort?  Unless we stop and question our beliefs or thoughts, we don't realize that it's usually the story we tell ourselves that is causing the stress.

If you're having trouble figuring out which part is causing stress, ask yourself if your worry or fear is true  and how you know it's true.  If any part of your answer begins with, well, last time, or such and such happened to so and so, you know, it's the story causing you stress.  Byron Katie says stories appear in our minds a hundred times a day.

When a person stands up without a word and walks out of the room. When someone doesn't smile or return a phone call. When your boss calls you into his or her office. When your partner uses a certain tone. Katie says those stories are untested and untrue. uninvestigated theories that tell us what all these things mean.

We don't even realize they're just theories.  But once we realize they're simply theories and not based on fact or truth, we can breathe a little easier. So the next time you start to worry about something, pause and question which part of what you're thinking is getting you upset. the actual experience, or the story. 

So my healing tip for you today is to hold your index finger, either one, while focusing on your breath for five minutes or more. The index finger calms fear, and by holding it and focusing on your breath for five minutes or more, you may find your way to a softened perspective or a new way of looking at things. 

Questions: DM at https://www.instagram.com/suzanneandorabarron/

The information presented on this podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or prescribe for any medical or psychological condition, nor to prevent, treat, mitigate or cure any such conditions.