Ever hear about rule number 6?
…One day the president of a country was sitting in his chambers with a very important international guest in the midst of high-level discussions when one of his adivsors storms into the chambers announcing that there is an emergency that they urgently need to discuss with the president.
The President pauses for a moment, looks at his advisor and politelty asks the advisor to remember rule number 6. The advisor smiles and apologises for the interruption and respectfully leaves the chambers.
The President and his guest continue with their conversation for a few minutes when, very abruptly and rather rudely, another advisor enters the chamber with yet another urgent matter. Once again the President turns to his advisor requesting that rule number 6 please be observed. As before the advisor leaves the chamber quite relieved.
Just as the President and his guest get to a critical part of the discussion the chamber doors open a third time and the same event repeats itself – a big crisis, the President requesting that rule number 6 be observed and the advisor leaving with a smile.
So by now, just like the guest , you are wondering what is rule number 6, right? The guest proceeds, with great curiosity, to ask the President what is rule number 6?
The President answers that rule number 6 is: “Do not take yourself so seriously”. The guest is enraptured by this approach for a joyous few moments but then pauses and asks: “What are the other rules?”
“That is simple” says the President, “There are no other rules.”
Fairly frequently when I get all worked up by circumstances I remember rule number 6. Many times it simply makes me smile. When I pause, take a deep breath and realise that it’s not really all that serious I am truly relieved. And when the problem shrinks in my mind it is much easier to solve.
Don’t take yourself too seriously and go from survive to alive!