The Muppet Bucket
BE KIND TO YOUR MIND
THE MUPPET BUCKET. Feel like you’re surrounded by Muppets and your ability to deal with that is running low at the moment? There’s a good reason for that!
I have this thing called my ‘Muppet Bucket’.
It’s an imaginary holder of the stuff it takes to turn a blind eye to people doing annoying things.
You know the things. Loud talkers, bad drivers, conspiracy theorists, line pushers, rude customers, keyboard warriors. And all the rest.
In my Muppet Bucket is the stuff it takes to take a deep breath and say ‘that’s ok, I see you’re under pressure, I can absorb your behaviour without reacting.’
When our brains are feeling fresh, healthy and uncluttered, our Muppet Buckets are full and overflowing. We can step back and use some of that stuff to show empathy and consideration.
When our brains are feeling tired, strained and overwhelmed, our Muppet Buckets are emptying quickly and sometimes down to the last drop.
And Covid has pretty much drilled a hole in the bottom of all of our buckets.
When I’m feeling this way, the next person to act like a Muppet in my presence is going to come across a Julia who has an extremely short supply of patience and grace.
Right now, with everything going on, your Muppet Bucket might feel like mine. The ability to cope with stressful situations can be imagined as a finite emotional resource and it takes time to refill the bucket.
What can you do if your Muppet Bucket is down to its last drop? A. B. C.
A. Accept the fact that your resources are drained and it will take a bit for them to renew. Say no to things that are going to drain you further if at all possible.
B. Be honest. Tell those around you that you feel tapped out and will need some time and space to replenish your supply.
C. Calming activities will help refill your bucket. Living on the bare bones of your emotional resources is exhausting. Prioritising things that make you fill your bucket may look as simple as time with a book, cuddles with your pet or a walk around the block.
Stop and have a think about your emotional bucket, how close are you to the bottom? Join me in accepting, being honest and finding calming activities to save the day!