Growing up in the UK, there was a highly popular book series for kids called Mr. Men by Roger Hargreaves. Each of the characters was designed to teach young readers a life lesson, but the one that stayed with me into adulthood was the story of Mr. Jelly. He was scared of everything and would shiver and quiver at the slightest noise. Even the shape of his body was one giant shiver.
That is until someone gave him some very sound advice: “All you have to do is count up to ten.” Spoiler alert: Mr. Jelly takes this advice and at the end of the book his body no longer shivers but is, instead, smoothly edged, his new inner calm having affected the very shape of his body.
Shivering is a signal; it behooves us to pay attention when our body communicates its needs and responses, urging us to tune in and understand these messages to ensure our well-being. However, when our bodies and brains are on high alert this can cause us to act in ways that do not serve us well, impacting relationships, work performance, and our physical and mental health. When I find myself in those situations, I remind myself to count to ten. This self-calming tool has helped me to stay level-headed in all manner of situations (it can be used any time and place, and doesn’t cost a cent). I hope counting to ten will serve you well, as it has me.
