Have you ever watched something so odd that you cannot help but to smile? I saw a lady with her toe stuck in a bowling ball of all things. Her adorable attitude is what caught my attention more than anything. Life comes with drama but when we relax into it we can even get our toes unstuck from a bowling ball.
Okay, so it was a sitcom but this one is worth a watch. Good clean fun and laughter and lessons. 1960’s sitcom That Girl is one of the best sitcoms I have seen. Fraser will always be my favorite but That Girl is my #2 all-time favorite.
This sitcom was before my time but it has been a hoot to watch it lately. Marlo Thomas played That Girl, a young single adorable smart independent energetic bubbly want-to-be actress making a new life in New York City after growing up and leaving home for the first time.
So, what does this have to do with anything? Tons. That Girl laughs at everything, making life fun. And she is serious when need be. Her lighthearted adventures got her toe stuck in a bowling ball before an important appearance. The show takes you through the antics of finding help to get it off before she has to make an appearance.
Finally, she was told the only way the ball was coming off of her toe was for her to have a relaxed toe. As she would relax the toe, the swelling would go down and it would come right off. Well, as all sitcoms go… there was drama and laughter for a while. Then all of a sudden she got so excited about her big appearance that she forgot about her toe and the bowling ball and it rolled right off.
Life seems to be that way. The more we fret over things, the more we stay stuck. Our problems get stuck. Our weight gets stuck. Our health gets stuck right along with relationships. We just get stuck and we stress all the more.
Relax!!! Let the ball slide right off. I know, easier said than done. Sometimes we just have to be reminded and let life be goofy enough to sweep our stress away. Yes, even while we are experiencing stress from chronic illness. Life is just that, life. The twists and turns are never-ending so we might as well relax into them.
The more we relax into the things that make us feel stuck, the quicker they come off. The weight starts to come off, the heaviness of difficult relationships fades, the health issues are not so intense, our stomachs calm. Life just gets a bit more comfortable when we relax into it. We even stop sticking our toes in bowling balls. We make better choices and learn how to find enjoyment even in the little things.
All problems will not disappear, but we can lessen the load by relaxing into today. Today is all we have, for today. Enjoy the victory of a lighter load TODAY.
So… relax!!! Find That Girl on your favorite movie plan. Guys usually like this program as well. It is Season 1 Episode 28, “This Little Piggy Had a Ball.” Amazon is my movie plan – this link takes you right to the episode. It is FREE if you have Amazon Prime. Certainly, other movie plans carry That Girl as well.
Are you finding it hard to relax into your life with all the stress of chronic illness? Will you consider relaxing into the moment to practice?
Maribeth Baxter, MBEC (Certified Mind-Body Eating Coach)
