17/40 Frustration

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17/40
From the desk of Rabbi Brian

Spiritual-Religious
Exercise: Frustration.

We all get frustrated in
our day-to-day lives.

Why? I think it might be because
we all have expectations on how things ought to happen, but reality is not
affected by our wishes. Consequently, we get frustrated.

This week, as a
spiritual-religious exercise, I want you to practice getting frustrated. Just
to practice.

(You don’t have to.)

Let’s face it, you are
going to get frustrated anyway; so here is a chance for you to learn about
yourself in a safe environment.

What you will learn in
this upcoming exercise is going to be personal to you. You will learn answers
to the question, “what do I really do
when I get frustrated?” (A lot of us think we know, but frustration isn’t a
thinking, it’s a feeling.)

Here’s what I’ve learned about
when I get frustrated:

I chastise
myself for not being clever enough to think myself through whatever problem I’m
having.

I get excited
fantasizing of having solved the problem and feeling accomplished in having
done so.

I spend time trying
and re-trying solutions that I already know won’t work and then chastise myself
for rehashing instead of solving the problem.

I tend to hold
my breath a little bit and don’t notice it until I make an audible, forceful
exhale.

Now it’s your turn.

Try to figure out the
following:

What
is the next number in the following series:

·1
·11
·21
·1211
·111221
·___________

Note your reaction until
you either figure it out or give up on it. I advise that when you do either
(figure it out or stop trying), you spend a few moments writing a recollection
of your experience.

Please notice your
reaction to both the problem and to this entire exercise of learning from your
reaction.

Spiritual-religious advise
for the week: try to learn to be comfortable with the discomfort of being
frustrated.

With love,

Rabbi Brian

For those of you still wondering
about the answer? The solution will be revealed in the next issue of The 77% Weekly.

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