Don’t Step on a Crack

The other morning, I was super stressed. The hyper-efficient Kari wanted to drive the kids to school instead of taking the extra 10-minutes to walk them. I resisted and walked.

On our way. Chloe started chanting, ‘Step on a crack, break your mother’s back.’ I smiled. I vividly remembered that game as a child. How many generations of kids have passed along this silly rhyme?

Then I played along. I didn’t step on any cracks. Each thoughtful footstep took me out of my head and into the present. By the end of this 10-minute walk, I was happy.

A few lessons for myself here: Always do the thing that has a chance of breaking you out of your funk (even when you don’t want to). Play along. And, making tiny adjustments to your norm (like how you walk) can jolt you into the present.

So today: Don’t step on a crack, and bring your mother back.

#beingpresent #stress