The Weight of the Glass

Once upon a time a psychology professor walked around on a stage while teaching
stress management principles to an auditorium filled with students. As she raised a
glass of water, everyone expected theyd be asked the typical glass half empty or
glass half full question. Instead, with a smile on her face, the professor asked, How
heavy is this glass of water Im holding?

Students shouted out answers ranging from eight ounces to a couple pounds.

She replied, From my perspective, the absolute weight of this glass doesnt
matter. It all depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute or two, its fairly
light. If I hold it for an hour straight, its weight might make my arm ache a little. If I
hold it for a day straight, my arm will likely cramp up and feel completely numb and
paralyzed, forcing me to drop the glass to the floor. In each case, the weight of the
glass doesnt change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it feels to me.

As the class shook their heads in agreement, she continued, Your stresses and
worries in life are very much like this glass of water. Think about them for a while
and nothing happens. Think about them a bit longer and you begin to ache a
little. Think about them all day long, and you will feel completely numb and
paralyzed incapable of doing anything else until you drop them.

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