How the Dalai Lama can help you with stressful phone calls

You know those stressful phone calls you have to make to tech support at Verizon where you wait on the phone for ages in hopes that you will eventually reach a person who will be able to help you with your desperate problem?

Here are 3 suggestions to help alleviate your misery under such circumstances:

1. Google “how to reach a human being verizon” (or whatever company). Surprisingly, this will sometime lead to reaching a person in record time! Sometimes.
2. Set out a photograph or drawing of a spiritual being whom you much admire while you make the call.
3. Take 3 deep, mindful breaths and relax your shoulders. Dial.

I stand the Dalai Lama’s book The Art of Happiness on my table so the cover is constantly in my field of vision during the call. His sweet, beneficent smile calms my spirit, soothes my frustration and reminds me to speak with kindness and courtesy to the person on the other end of the line.

At the end of our call, we say goodbye with that little extra warmth that says we are relishing the choice we made to be kind to one another.