Inspired by Paracetamol

In the realm of remedies, paracetamol stands as an emblem of pain relief, a dependable elixir for discomfort.

For the longest time, I believed in its magical ability to whisk away aches and pains.

Only later I discovered paracetamol doesn't actually remove pain. It operates by blocking the chemical messengers in the brain that signal distress to our bodies.

Like headaches and body pains, we often encounter situations or people that upset us. Our natural inclination urges us to expel them from our world:

• To snap back against one of our most vocal critics in the hope of silencing them.

• Delay starting a new venture to avoid the discomfort of potential failure.

• Avoid those necessary but tedious tasks like housecleaning or paperwork.

These experiences, painful and persistent, are impossible to evade.

But we can borrow from the paracetemol playbook and try to block the messages that upset us by reframing our view.

This requires a conscious mental shift. Recognising that we have the power to influence how we respond to the world around us. To choose to rewire our thought patterns, disrupting the automatic messages of frustration, anger or fear.

Embrace the art of caring less about the critics, fretting less about faltering and unearthing pockets of delight in completing tasks.

It's the practice of seizing command over our emotional responses.

To choose to confront life’s challenges with resilience and optimism.