On weekend afternoons, small things suddenly get under your skin

Scenes

• It’s a small thing, but my hands turn rough first — One item I was sorting bothered me, and an irritated remark flew out before I could even put it down.
• The harder I try to calm down, the more rushed I feel — I try to brush it off, saying it’s fine, but my fingertips grow restless and all I can think is that it has to be finished right now.
• I tried to put it away right away — Sitting on the living room floor and studying the scratched item, I hurried to decide whether to throw it away.
• Feelings narrow your view before they reach a conclusion. — When your feelings flare, your options shrink, and the fastest action can feel like the right one. So acting right away can make the feelings grow stronger.
• Set down what you’re holding for a moment — Open your hand and notice just one place where you feel something first in your body. You don’t have to find an answer right away.
• Even after your feelings flare, you still have a choice — You don’t have to be calm from the start. Once your hand stops, you can look again at your own pace and decide whether to keep it or let it go.