PAGE 17 - WORDLY MAGAZINE
The little note in your pocket Tara Komaromy
Hey you,
Are you doing that thing again? Y’know, that thing where you overthink something and it snowballs into a bunch of feelings that you don’t feel as though you can control? Because that sounds pretty silly to me.
WORDLY MAGAZINE - ILLUSION
The frustrating thing is that it’s probably only something small that set this off. Maybe you were doing a few Ks under the speed limit on the freeway and someone felt the need to aggressively overtake you because hey, why not break the law and intimidate a cautious driver? Or maybe you forgot to buy milk which just might send your brain into a state of panic because whatever will you do if you’re forced to have toast for breakfast tomorrow? Either way, I’m sure it’s as silly as always. So here I am, a little note written in the past that will herald you to victory by telling you things that you already know. Like this:
Whatever you’re feeling right now won’t last. You won’t remember this moment in five years’ time, so why is it worth feeling crappy about it now? Please don’t put yourself through unnecessary torture. Not again.
Your mind’s playing tricks on you. Your head’s not quite balanced—but that’s not your fault. It’s all about chemicals. Dopamine, serotonin: all that crap. We researched it, remember? When you think about your feelings as scientific rather than personal, you’re going to be able to accept them and deal with them far easier.
If you need to take a minute to focus on your breathing, I want you to do it. A minute out of your day is nothing—especially if it makes every other minute afterwards so much more pleasant. You have so many things to be grateful for, so I want you to count your blessings. Go on. Grab a piece of paper, write them down and count them. While you’re in this state, it won’t feel obvious unless you can see them. You have so many people who love you and would never talk to you the way you’re talking to yourself right now. You’re a fond memory in the minds of all of them, even for the tiny things like a quirky conversation, or the time you made them feel less self-conscious about something. Maybe it was something tiny—like what you’re stressing about now. But in that moment, you helped them. So I need you to chill out and help yourself. Sincerely, The little note in your pocket.
The Little Note in Your Pocket WordlyMagazine2017_Illusion.indd 17
21/09/2017 7:35 pm