What’s up Fool,
Ever heard the saying, “sink or swim?”
I know how to swim but I can’t stop myself from falling over-board… and that’s an entirely different problem.
I never was afraid of water, not the lakes, oceans, or any would-be intimidating body of blue.
I guess I’m that ignorant. That said, while I don’t mind going for the casual dive, I’ve been trying to navigate my life and build something that will last.
Don’t wish for the storms to stop, be a better sailor.
All of us have these areas in our lives that cause the majority of our problems- our blind spots.
For myself, the struggle has always been an emotional tidal wave. When I’m clear-thinking, chilling in that crystal geyser, I’m able to enjoy the moment, experience more, and make better decisions. I’m level, and so building is easy.
But something happens and it happens frequently. I get these wild swings and when they come, I’m thrown over-board. I then see everything in all-or-nothing, get paranoid, become possessed by erratic feelings and have some urge to escape my own life and leave it all behind.
While this might not sound that bad, it’s painful. Truthfully, I’ve been able to navigate better by not making any decisions while I’m in this phase, but the fact that I regularly go through these tropical storms is exhausting.
The storm never stops.
When I was younger, I imagined the cause was my overall lack of direction and that when I found my calling/passion/career all the WAVES would level out, and I wouldn’t be in the water, but on some island sippin’ coconut margi’s.
Well, I’m happy with my life. I have a career I enjoy, that I find fulfilling and challenging, but the exact storms from my youth remain.
I don’t know if there’s a better way, but here’s how I’m sailing.
I don’t believe my mind. When these storms come, I know they don’t last long, so my only job is to ride it out. I don’t make any decisions here, and I try not to be around people because sometimes they get the worst of me during these times.
By far the biggest help is DISTANCE.
I’m learning to distance myself from myself. I don’t take myself too seriously.
When I’m in this emotional state, I write. I laugh. I do whatever I can to get actual clarity.
See, I’ll never stop having the storms and I realize that now, but I don’t have to lose my composure. I can look at them and recognize them for what they are, just temporary climate change, that I can ride out and get right back on course to what I was doing.
Whatever your weather, don’t give in.
It might be apart of your wiring, but you don’t have to lose.
Stay Strong, Stay Active, Stay Playful.
#StayFoolish