It is all about slowing down, taking time for yourself and establishing new habits that will last a lifetime.
Theme – Waiting it Out
The focus this week was to notice what happens when you wait things out: to hang in there just a little longer in those "crisis" situations that can trigger a high state of alert in the brain.
I am certain I have not got a handle on any of this yet. If things do annoy me, and it takes a lot to push me to that state then it is often over a huge issue rather than niggles. Therefore, in that situation there is no way I can control my feelings, neither do I want to.
Are you noticing any shifts in how you process stressful information?
I have a very fiery temper, it takes a lot to rattle me but when I reach a crisis point the reaction is volatile. The problem I have noticed in this practice is that by controlling my annoyance at things and breathing through them has the knock-on effect of there being no pre-warning to the fact that I am getting annoyed. The angry outburst then appears to come completely out of the blue. This is not a good situation for anyone, especially me.
Previously I would make my views known, an instant eruption which was very quickly over. Once said … then gone. I am not one to seethe and stress about things for hours so the equilibrium after the situation was almost instantly returned. This is still the case but for me the build-up of breathing through things simple allows for an accumulation of the annoyances rather than addressing them individually.
Are you able to calm your nervous system down before the stress chemicals start cascading through the body?
This depends on the situation. I am prone to instant reactions (over-reactions sometimes) but do feel that it is a learnt response in that I shout and get annoyed immediately but calm just a quick.
Have you noticed if the practices in letting go (that you have been slowly "dripping into" your life every day) are beginning to work their magic?
I am not sure on this.
I have gone back over the daily lessons to see if anything jumps out.
You Can’t Plan Everything … whilst very true in principle there is a lot you can plan for to try and ensure that things go smoothly.
Monkey Mind Mum … putting your best foot forward and still come up short.
Everyday life has a knack for achieving this regardless of any efforts put in place to ensure things will go right.
Shift Happens … especially when you make room for it.
This for me is kind of like letting fate have free reign over my life, which is not something that sits too well with my sense of order, neither with my understanding of the ethos of uncluttering.
I do, however think that if things are meant to be then they will be, regardless of obstacles or the provisions made as to prevention. That is also true of things that are not meant to be regardless of how much effort is bestowed on making it so.
Wait it out … pause/breathe
There is a saying that you should count from ten backwards when things get too much, or you feel out of control to allow a moments pause before you react, but I find that just gives me a brief second to plan how to react more effectively.
What Feels Unresolved?
Very few things in my life are unresolved and the ones that are I have no control over. This is where the wait-it-out premise is employed in my life.
Things Always Work Out
I am a great believer in karma and that sometimes the best thing to do is nothing.
So, I think I sit on the fence as far as this is concerned. In a crisis situation I still lean towards the shout-and-get-it-over method of dealing with things (rather than letting there be an accumulation of small incidences that finally escalate into a huge row).
However, in certain situations I find it best to stay quiet and let things pan-out as they will.
Good will always over come evil … right (?)
Well no … but I do find that although karma works to her own timescale and in her own sweet way she can so often be seen to work quite efficiently.