You’re at the cinema.
You’ve waited months to see this movie. You’ve got your popcorn, your drink, your perfect seat.
The lights go down. The opening scene starts.
And then…
Chewing.
Loud chewing.
You narrow your eyes and shake your head, wondering, “Are they eating with their mouth open? Are they... mic'd up? Is this part of the soundtrack?”
You try to stay calm.
Someone behind you moves. Your seat jiggles.
A phone screen lights up like the sun. Someone whispers.
Your excitement is GONE.
You’re not watching the movie anymore:
You’re mentally rehearsing a TED Talk called "Why People Are the Worst and I Hate Them All"
You consider turning around just to see the face of this as*hole.
How can people around you not be bothered by this?
And just like that, 20 minutes have passed.
20 minutes of the film you were dying to see.
Gone forever.
Only for you, of course.
Because everybody else is having the time of their lives, totally oblivious of the mental arrows that you're shooting their way.
Makes you wonder:
Is there a better way to deal with this?
I think there is.
If we zoom in on it, what is it that is actually bothering you?
2 things:
- The noises and interruptions of the people around you (don't depend on you, unavoidable)
- and the inner narrator in your head, judging and turning the annoyance into a full 20-minute story. (this is all you, my friend.)
“
Suffering =
pain × resistance.
Resistance is the voice that says, “This is WRONG. I shouldn’t have to deal with this.”
Suspending resistance is a muscle.
And you can train it.
