What do you notice about your responses when you are stressed?
How much are they tinged with emotion vs rational commentary?
Notice how you might be short with people, impatient, blunt, perhaps angry?
One day, 18 months ago, as I sat by a riverbank, I contemplated my health issues, my life and what my next steps were going to be.
Most of you know the merits of meditation and mindfulness. Enabling quiet pause, reflection and steadiness in the here and now. Allowing worrying thoughts to pass you on by in those precious moments. But what if you could somehow adopt these practices for more than the 10–20 mins you perhaps do it each day? What if you could do it more continuously? What might that look like?
How often do you hear the phrase ‘don’t sweat the small stuff”? Most heard at a point where you are doing exactly that. And, why? Because all perspective has simply gone flying out the window. You’re juggling too much. You’re in overwhelm. You don’t know which bit to jump on and tackle next.
A deeply ingrained habit is to go fast — but let’s slow things down.
Ever since I can remember, Mum encouraged me to be independent and to get a good education. I’ve also had the role model of a father from a family of go getters, always achieving, always coming up with new ideas and incessant thinkers. Add to that being brought up in a fast world and out comes a very driven and constantly achieving young woman living life like it’s a race.
Do you dread going into work every day because the environment leaves you feeling sick? Are you in a job you hate?
Are you feeling totally burnt out like you’ve been left on the career grill plate too long? A friend of mine found herself in one of these unfortunate positions, she chose to resign and is now contemplating life. She’s not alone. In fact, finding yourself in this predicament is unfortunately very common place.
So it was with some fervor that I summarized this particular conversation with my friend. The dilemma we mused was how to bring in enough (money), doing that thing you love without flogging yourself at the same time. Hmm, OK, where to start?
Well they have made quite a big impression on my life and our family life as I am sure they have yours. And they definitely contribute toward a day with too much in it and a body/mind in overload. Here’s us…
