We need to be fast. Very fast. The life we live today demands our energy and responsiveness every second of the day. We live in the “jumpy” age. And there are consequences on living in this age. Fast heart, irritability, insomnia, stress. It’s hard to avoid these symptoms because we don’t give our bodies the brake needed to cool down. So it’s more important now than ever to learn how to respond to everything using the minimun amount of energy needed. Sounds like i’m talking about accounting but not nearly. Is not easy to learn how to spend the minimun energy in an upsetting event for an example. How to argue about parenting being the less angry possible. How to fight for your rights without getting a headache. One might think i’m suggesting the old “count to 10” method and that’s not very far from the truth. Not the actual counting but the idea to analize our “heat” level and push the plug when necessary. We must find ways to protect our self from all the madness without leaving the asylum. I found in chinese meditation a great help for that kind of issue. The problem is that i’m not able to meditate during a business meeting. I believe breathing right is one of the keys because it forces you to slow your pace and listening to your body and loosing your shoulders if you are tense can help. But then the problem may be that sometimes we need to be so focused and ready that we can’t disconnect it doesn’t matter how damaging is the situation. I see as a last resource to remain calm and prepare some time off afterwords. It can be two minutes but two well used minutes where i’ll slow down and focus on myself. That work pretty fine. Those things are very important and we need hiding places during the day for the sake of our sanity. The most important thing of all though is to say no when you need to and not do give more than you have to offer. Many people are skilled in making us think we gotta do it and do it now. It’s like hipnosis. But the thing is: we don’t always have to do it. Sometimes we have to say no and leave the weight to someone else to carry. We are already all the time under the spotlight so we gotta take care not to burn ourselves.
Well put. It’s a problem at both ends. If somebody doesn’t put forth any effort they run the risk of depression and disappointment. If they put forth too much effort, they might get burned out.
Yes…i think we have to put a lot of effort… everyday seams like more is needed so in order to keep up and be healthy we gotta learn a few tricks…oe many tricks!!!
Saying no is an important thing to learn in life. Sometimes it’s difficult. But as you pointed out, we can only give so much.
I agree with you about breathing right. It really makes a difference when stressed. Deep breaths are very good. 🙂
Yes…We can only give so much…Why do “they” need more than that??? Tks!!!!
I remember when I first emerged from being focused on being a nun (a few years ago), and began paying more attention to the “world outside”. One of the things I noticed first was how much, in just a matter of a few years, culture had shifted into a mode of craving extreme stimulus. Reality TV shows, extra-spicy food, extreme sports, even flavored vodkas… All of these are recent phenomena. Not to mention social networking! I’m still trying to make sense of it all… and the single word that comes to mind is “starvation”…Craving what, I wonder… It’s a wonderful post, again!
Wow… What a wonderful comment!!! Starvation is something people should practice more…seams sometimes there’s no way back… but then again sounds like i’m an old guy just describing the future. Maybe evolution has to do with acceleration as well but from my perspective we are always too close to the edge… sometimes too close…
Thanks for this, and great writing by the way.
I’m ADHD and along with the world as you’ve described it, my brain fries everyday.
Wow!!! I guess you channel all that to your writing… If not you should creativity is a good valve to free what can’t stay inside!!!!
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