What the Stutz? Use-Now Tools for this Life Thing.

I watched the Netflix documentary called Stutz, you may have heard of it. If not, glad you have now.

This documentary is deliciously delivered in black and white and feels vulnerable and very human.

The aim, from what I understood, is to bring some of these human tools and skills to many so we can enhance/enrich our lives. It also serves to help dissolve the stigma around therapy. I like to say therapy is anything you want it to be in situations you find yourself, like if your relationship with your partner feels like a constant shouting match, you have a co-worker who annoys you and gets in the way of your productivity, you want to be the best parent to a child who is struggling and more. We deserve to enjoy our lives and connect with others, although it seems many of us (yes, me included) need to learn and practice cool human thought tools.

Stutz brings many of these tools.

When I studied my Masters in Psychology, I learned new tools and skills around how we humans operate. It boggled my mind that this was not required learning for humans. Our world now brings to us a constant barrage of what activates our human stress response…and I…didn’t…learn…how…to manage…stress, really…until I was in my 50s. I didn’t know how my thoughts, emotions and body worked in concert together. In fact, the word stress, just the word, caused me stress. So, yes, these tools now.

Now, as interesting, helpful and at times delightful as the Stutz doc is, it touches on only some aspects of our overall wellness. And with anything new skill, practice is where the actual magic happens. The one skill that comes to mind from the documentary is ‘being stuck in the maze’. You know those times when you think about a situation, something you said or did, something someone else said or did and you cycle it over and over from many angles. It may keep you up at night, take over conversations and leave you feeling exhausted or confused. If so, you’re in the maze. Being in the maze stops you from taking real steps in your own life, thinking about things that helps you manage and take steps for you.

My ‘maze’ implementation or daily practice is simply reminding myself when I am ruminating, that I am ‘in the maze’ and purposefully bringing my attention elsewhere. I laughed and smiled inwardly today when I had to remind myself around 20 times in the span of an hour not to be trapped in the maze. Eventually, I was able to think about something else, in fact about writing this blog and then, well, did it – maze free.

Practice, gentleness, practice.

Enjoy Stutz if you are so inclined, bring on the thought work because you deserve good things.

I am Glad you were here.

xo

Sherry