How does one cope with utter chaos and sheer lack of clarity? When the world all around you is filled with a severe lack of common sense and tales of ostrich woe? Some may say wine. While I do believe that wine has its rightful place in life, that is not the answer here; neither is chocolate. Focus.
Return to the backbone of yourself. Stand strong upon your foundation. Remember your own mind. Meditation.
The list of excuses for not slowing down runs the complete spectrum of color with my absolute favorite being, I do not have the time. If this is the case, then take the time that you do have and get creative. Do you have a commute to work that is long and boring? Have a relaxing thought then. Perhaps, after dinner you have a soak or a hot shower all to yourself. Close your eyes for a moment and allow your mind to go to another realm. Why, you can even take the time to wander as you read this very post. Excuses are self made obstacles that prevent you from accomplishing something that requires effort; they do not serve you. Cut them out of your diet like the fat from a nice juicy piece of oxtail that you ate with red beans and rice. No, I am not hungry. Moving on.
A person can not simply stand by and allow the pressures of life to win. Life was meant to be enjoyed. Happiness is the birthright of all. You need a minute. The ripping and the running the walking and the talking the haggling and the eating……take a second look at what you are doing. Why are you running? To catch the train. Hmmm….if you went to bed earlier, you wouldn’t run late for the train. When you talk to people, what is the tone of your voice? Do you sound fatigued or interested in your own words? Do you even know? Oh, you never even heard yourself. You did not use that sense of hearing to feel the quality of your voice, the timbre of the words, the caress of the insinuation of that expanded vocabulary.
When everything and everyone has complete access to you, there is a missing piece to the equation. There is not a single crumb left of the delicious vanilla cake for you to enjoy for yourself. You simply must partake in the fabulous dessert called you that everyone else wants to savor. Oh but my kids need this and I have to run this errand. True. However, do you know that if you should take sick in bed, those same people would have to find other ways of dealing with themselves while you heal.
Take a minute. Breathe. Listen to the music. Go to the beach. Smile at yourself. Schedule the vacation. Sleep in. Take that moment to gain that clarity. It is a small step such as this that will begin to change you. Why, this is how wild fires begin. Imagine what would happen if such flames burned all over the world. The regeneration would be a powerful start of an amazing calm. Yes, I just meditated and the music is still playing…….