Rebuilding Series: The Secret Power of Iced Coffee. By Marshall Lestz
Rebuilding Series: The Secret Power of Iced Coffee. By Marshall Lestz
Good Morning Everybody,
I’ve been wondering for a while if there’s a difference between coffee and iced coffee, other than the ice, of course. So when I was at a coffee shop a couple days ago I asked them. The barista said they’re basically the same, but there’s one main difference. In order to keep the coffee from tasting watered down when the ice melts, they use a very concentrated, stronger form of the coffee.
It struck me that this is a good metaphor for when we have to spend time in an environment that doesn’t bring out our best.
Like for example, when we’re in the same room with someone who always triggers our anger. (Even if he’s completely innocent; he just rubs us the wrong way.) Or being around someone who’s extremely negative and we know this often brings us down. Or maybe someone who likes to gossip and that can influence us to do the same. Or maybe it’s being on the highway during rush hour traffic, or at home in the morning when we’re trying to get the kids out the door, or in the evening when we’re trying to get dinner (or multiple dinners) on the table.
All these scenarios are like a big cup of ice, just waiting to cause a MELTDOWN. That cup is “hostile territory!” That’s why the coffee needs to be STRENGTHENED. It needs a boost. It needs to be specially prepared… it can’t just be the same as it always is.
So what about us? Do we prepare ourselves before going into “hostile territory?” Or do we simply hope that things will turn out better than they usually do? Speaking for myself, it often doesn’t even occur to me to get mentally prepared– instead… I just DREAD. “Oh man, not him again! Really? Does he have to be in the meeting too!?” But what a disempowered way to think! And what a “blaming” way to think… as if I can’t control my own emotions or make this experience better than it’s been in the past.
All it takes is a minute or two to think about how we’ve behaved in the past, and then envision ourselves thinking, speaking, and acting more in line with our higher selves. Let’s BE PREPARED. Let’s see ourselves behaving how we want to be. More confident, patient, resilient… By creating this mental image we’ll move towards it; it becomes like a target. This is how we guard ourselves from those ice cubes! We become a stronger version of ourselves and resist being weakened.
Friends, we’ll be jumping in and out of hostile territories all our lives. Hashem creates them for us to help us bring out our best. So let’s be ready for them, mentally prepared for them, and see just how great we can become!
Have a “chill” day everybody,
Marshall
Keep on Building!