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Shoutout to changing my tune on packed subway cars
I hated the crush, but now I see it as a chance to people watch and daydream.
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rosea687mo ago
Read an article a while back that called it "forced mindfulness." The idea was that being stuck in a situation you can't change, like a packed train, makes you stop fighting it and just notice things. You start looking at what people are reading, or listening to fragments of talk, or just letting your mind drift. It turns a stressful thing into kind of a blank space for your brain. That shift in view totally changed my own commute. Now I almost look forward to seeing what little story I can piece together before my stop.
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karen_nguyen77mo ago
Can we really call being packed like sardines a chance to daydream? I see the point about people watching, but when you're crushed against strangers, all you notice is the heat and the smell. Someone's elbow in your back or a wet umbrella dripping on your shoe ruins any chance to relax. @the_linda called it straight up misery, and I have to agree. Sometimes there's no silver lining, just a crowded train you want to escape.
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