picture title: Before & AfterToday (Sept 28th) is my birthday and after a bit of obligatory retrospection, I decided to share a few of my life altering realizations:
While watching Saturday morning cartoons, (I like to keep in touch with what kids are tuning into.) I caught an episode of Garfield & Friends. In it one of the barnyard animals—probably the chicken—was worrying about the sky falling and one of the other animals—the smart one, a lamb I think—asked him to consider a single question, “Why worry?”
The lamb went on to explain that whether a problem could or couldn't be fixed, worrying wouldn’t accomplish anything. The simplicity of the statement made me think. It was such an obvious fact, but how much time and energy do we spend disregarding it?
In a nutshell, WORRYING=STRESS and up unto that time, I realized, most of my physical ailments (allergies, asthma, migraines etc) were all triggered by stress. So I set out to simply learn to stop...breathe...and let go. By “accepting things I could not change” I actually lessened these physical manifestations enough that Instead of ending up in emergency rooms twice a year from my asthma or bearing the onslaught of totally debilitating migraines, they suddenly fell almost totally away. Wow. Who’d have thought....
At another time, also long, long ago, I ran into a financial crises wherein my problems mushroomed and spiraled so far out of my control that I was devastated. When it reached the point the rent could no longer be made. I’d run out of normal options. (Once you’re behind, it makes for an even more torturously stressful time. If I couldn’t pay one month, how was I going to pay two?)
Hopelessly I brooded over the bills. I would never catch up. I was out of options. It was time to be creative. I decided to go light and lean. So I packed all my possessions and put them in storage. Then tinted the windows on my little Honda Civic station wagon, placed an assortment of clothing in a trunk, constructed a padded bedroll alongside it and gave up the house.
Funny thing about living in Lubbock TX, since its a college town, every large city park seemed to have some sort of high rise apartment complex across the street so there were always cars parked along the streets. Every night after sunset I blended right in with them and I’d lock up the car, crawl into the folded down back seat to my bedroll and fall asleep to the sight of green grassy rolling hills, trees and the moon over the park’s man made ponds. It was strangely liberating and very peaceful—much moreso than trying to sleep under the threat of unpaid bills and an uncertain future.
I usually woke up when the sun rose. Nobody ever noticed me. Morning joggers passed by oblivious to my presence. I even woke up one night to find some guys sitting on my car and drinking beer. This was the point when I realized that people just don’t see what they don’t expect.
I spent my days working an inventory job and looking for a better job. Finally targeting a CAT assembly job. Every Friday I briefly called them around 3 pm and asked if they were ready to hire me. Eventually a position came open and the secretaries told me to come in. I got the job and after I’d gathered enough money, I found a new home and started again.
It was perhaps not a normal solution but it worked for me and made me aware just how important communing with nature could be. With all the hustle and bustle of making a living, I believe we tend to forget the basics. When the world becomes unbearable, worry and stressing out is just not a healthy solution.
So here’s my advice for when the walls come crashing in (metaphorically):
1. Remember to breathe; slow deep breaths until you feel calm.
2. Look to nature. Recalibrate what is important.
3. Keep in mind that as long as your choices aren’t terminal (nobody dies because of them) there are lots of ways to get from here to where you want to be.
4. When trapped, think outside of the box.
5. Don’t forget to smile.
It’s always worked for me. *grin*
While watching Saturday morning cartoons, (I like to keep in touch with what kids are tuning into.) I caught an episode of Garfield & Friends. In it one of the barnyard animals—probably the chicken—was worrying about the sky falling and one of the other animals—the smart one, a lamb I think—asked him to consider a single question, “Why worry?”
The lamb went on to explain that whether a problem could or couldn't be fixed, worrying wouldn’t accomplish anything. The simplicity of the statement made me think. It was such an obvious fact, but how much time and energy do we spend disregarding it?
In a nutshell, WORRYING=STRESS and up unto that time, I realized, most of my physical ailments (allergies, asthma, migraines etc) were all triggered by stress. So I set out to simply learn to stop...breathe...and let go. By “accepting things I could not change” I actually lessened these physical manifestations enough that Instead of ending up in emergency rooms twice a year from my asthma or bearing the onslaught of totally debilitating migraines, they suddenly fell almost totally away. Wow. Who’d have thought....
At another time, also long, long ago, I ran into a financial crises wherein my problems mushroomed and spiraled so far out of my control that I was devastated. When it reached the point the rent could no longer be made. I’d run out of normal options. (Once you’re behind, it makes for an even more torturously stressful time. If I couldn’t pay one month, how was I going to pay two?)
Hopelessly I brooded over the bills. I would never catch up. I was out of options. It was time to be creative. I decided to go light and lean. So I packed all my possessions and put them in storage. Then tinted the windows on my little Honda Civic station wagon, placed an assortment of clothing in a trunk, constructed a padded bedroll alongside it and gave up the house.
Funny thing about living in Lubbock TX, since its a college town, every large city park seemed to have some sort of high rise apartment complex across the street so there were always cars parked along the streets. Every night after sunset I blended right in with them and I’d lock up the car, crawl into the folded down back seat to my bedroll and fall asleep to the sight of green grassy rolling hills, trees and the moon over the park’s man made ponds. It was strangely liberating and very peaceful—much moreso than trying to sleep under the threat of unpaid bills and an uncertain future.
I usually woke up when the sun rose. Nobody ever noticed me. Morning joggers passed by oblivious to my presence. I even woke up one night to find some guys sitting on my car and drinking beer. This was the point when I realized that people just don’t see what they don’t expect.
I spent my days working an inventory job and looking for a better job. Finally targeting a CAT assembly job. Every Friday I briefly called them around 3 pm and asked if they were ready to hire me. Eventually a position came open and the secretaries told me to come in. I got the job and after I’d gathered enough money, I found a new home and started again.
It was perhaps not a normal solution but it worked for me and made me aware just how important communing with nature could be. With all the hustle and bustle of making a living, I believe we tend to forget the basics. When the world becomes unbearable, worry and stressing out is just not a healthy solution.
So here’s my advice for when the walls come crashing in (metaphorically):
1. Remember to breathe; slow deep breaths until you feel calm.
2. Look to nature. Recalibrate what is important.
3. Keep in mind that as long as your choices aren’t terminal (nobody dies because of them) there are lots of ways to get from here to where you want to be.
4. When trapped, think outside of the box.
5. Don’t forget to smile.
It’s always worked for me. *grin*
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Mary! Excellent advice here, too. Worrying does indeed equal stress--a condition that accomplishes nothing except to harm yourself. Thank you for this life tip. :))
ReplyDeleteAnother Happy Birthday Mary!!!!! Excellent post! You sure have been through a lot but you know how to weather the storm. When everything was said and done, I bet you ended up at a better place than where you started. I admire your strength and your ability to appreciate the intangible things in life. Wisdom at it's best!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic post! Thanks so much for sharing and putting it all in perspective.
ReplyDeleteThank you all for your kind birthday wishes.
ReplyDeleteI'll give life one thing, it's always interesting, isn't it?
a late happy birthday, but sincere just the same. that worrying over something you can't do anything about was a lesson I learned when my kids were teenagers. I'd lay awake listening for them when it finally occurred to me I was losing sleep for no reason. If something did happen, i couldn't change it lying there awake. If something did happen, I'd be notified. nothing to do with nature, but the basic thought is the same, i was stressing myself out without reason.
ReplyDeleteHAPPY BIRTHDAY! Born on the 28th you are creative (2+8=10; 1+0=1)!!!!! Of course this creativity is going to have to be used in a partnership (2) via the art of cooperation. Then it will reap you great rewards (8) and money. 8 is the CEO number of the Numerological system and material success is offered to those who (in your case) work together toward the common goal. But . . . there is a glitch. You have to be honest or else after a while all goods will be lost due to karma.
ReplyDeleteSeptember resonates to the number 9 which is the scared number of life here on earth as well as conclusions. You will always be sorting through your creative endeavors, keeping what's good and getting rid of what's bad. This will also be the case in your everyday life.
Just a brief run through on the numbers I know from your birthday. Hope it was great!