Lesson 4- Don't get stuck

I picked up my granddaughter (whom I now call Oreo) from school today. She climbed into her seat and whined, "Aarrgh. I have this stupid song stuck in my head and I can't get it out."
I said: "Sing it for me and maybe you'll give it to me, instead."

What I thought was: "Oh, yeah. That's nothing. Try the one that's been stuck in my head for three days. Where did they come up with that number? Why are insurance companies so good at this? And why can't I talk to a single person who can help me? Aarrgh!"

When I get stuck, my first thought is always of Flick from Christmas Story. I see him frozen to that flagpole. Helpless, at his own doing.

When Oreo was five, she loved the movie Sleeping Beauty. Well, she loved certain parts of Sleeping Beauty. She used the scene selection feature to go straight to the scenes she liked best. Prick finger. Fall asleep. Wake to a kiss. Have a party. Those were the parts of the movie Oreo watched. Over and over. To the exclusion of every other scene and everything else around her. The only way to stop the cycle was to turn off the TV. Distract Oreo with something else. Get her to move on.

This week I have been stuck (without being triple-dog-dared) in a string of doomsday thoughts. Stuck to the exclusion of enjoying or noticing anything else around me. What if Biker Mike is right? What if the remedy is to NOT think about it? Let it go for a week or so. Move on to something else. Maybe he's right. Maybe a new perspective is all I need.

Maybe my husband is right? Great. How long will THAT song be stuck in my head? What's your secret for becoming un-stuck?