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.”
It’s important to remember to let go of
your stresses. As early in the evening as
you can, put all your burdens down.
Don’t carry them through the evening and
into the night. Remember to put the glass