Are you experiencing any of these?
Irritability, overthinking, restlessness, anxiety, depression, sadness, fatigue, overthinking, restlessness, insomnia, over eating, and/or recurrent body tensions? Or, are you experiencing a persistent angst for something that you don’t know what is?
Before medicating and numbing it, please let’s make some considerations.
Have you noticed that these “inconvenient” symptoms and emotions are a sign that something important inside, and/or outside of us, is happening? Have you noticed that they are signs that a certain point of equilibrium and balance needs to change?
When those experiences are prevalent in our daily life, they are pointing that a recalibration is necessary.
However, our modern western culture doesn’t encourage slowing down to recalibrate. On the contrary, it pushes us to keep going no matter what.
We grow up listening to “motivational” quotes like “keep going,” “push it through”, “just do it,” no pain no gain”, “work hard,” and so on. We learn that we have to medicate our pain and numb our emotions in order to keep on going. We are conditioned to be endlessly focusing on the next achievement, not in our wellbeing.
On one end, this “push through” mindset can be helpful to achieve many goals. On the other end, this way of living can cost a lot. It can cost our connection with our own body and emotions, it can cost our physical and mental health and also, it can cost our relationships. Is it worth it?
In the long run, when we don’t recalibrate and we don’t take care of ourselves, we don’t take care of anything else.
If we don’t take care of ourselves, we hurt our body and mind. It affects our mood, which affects our relationships. We end up hurting ourselves, and possibly hurting our loved ones.
Taking care of ourselves is not medicating and numbing these “inconvenient” pain and emotions. Taking care of ourselves is neither “self-care” in the shape of a Netflix marathon, occasional massage or outing with with (hopefully) friends for drinks. Taking care of ourselves is not a distraction from the stress during the weekend, in order to keep on dragging ourselves after Monday.
Taking care of ourselves is truly allowing time and space to recalibrate and evaluate. Evaluate where we are, where we truly want to be and what is the course of action most aligned with ourselves, our values and our wellbeing. Remembering that our wellbeing includes the wellbeing of our meaningful relationships. After all, who wants to collect achievements and be alone in the ivory tower?
If you are experiencing irritability, overthinking, restlessness, anxiety, depression (…), I would invite you to consider slowing down to recalibrate and evaluate where you are, and where you want to go, and the pathway to that place. If medication is helpful in this part of the journey, seek that help. But, do not make it your only help.
Oftentimes, because of the rush and pressure of our culture, we end up by passing the connection with ourselves and our body. We move too fast and in the wrong direction. If we don’t allow pauses to recalibrate and evaluate, eventually, we will not be able to ignore the physical and/or mental health pain that will raise up and/or the relationships that will have become too strained.
Initially, slowing down looking into our lives can be uncomfortable and unpleasant. But, in the long run, it can be what saves us, our relationships and the overall meaning of life.
A new beginning is on the horizon.
You will be alright!
Trust it.
@iriasebastiao
