--- title: Stress & The Glass of Water created: 2025-11-16T05:11:30 modified: 2025-11-16T05:11:54 --- Students: 8 ounces? 12 ounces? 16 ounces? Professor: The absolute weight of the glass doesn’t matter. It depends on how long I hold onto it. If I hold it for a minute, nothing happens. If I hold it for an hour, my arm will begin to ache. If I hold it all day long, my arm will feel numb and paralyzed. Well, the weight of the glass hasn’t changed, but the longer I hold onto it, the heavier it becomes. The students lean in, and the professor continues with the deeper lesson: **The stresses and the worries of life are like this glass of water.** **If you think about them for a little while, there’s no problem. Think about it for a little bit longer, it begins to hurt. If you think about them all day long, you’ll feel paralyzed, incapable of doing anything.** **Always remember: Put the glass down.** --- Source: