Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Pressure

This is for Day 6 of a challenge 30 Days of Writing started by Nicky and Mike of We Work For Cheese in which several other bloggers and I are participating for the month of June. 
Today’s prompt was: Pressure. You can find the meaning from World Dictionary here.

I don't claim to know anything about any of the scientific meanings of pressure- but as for the those which pertain to daily life- I can relate.
Many people find that in their professional life they work well under pressure- I am one of them. Give me a work deadline and I've got it- I will move heaven and earth to get whatever it is completed on time- early even...

I have through the years also experienced pressure within my personal life. (Who hasn't?) The 2 year period of time when hubby & our son lived in another state defined pressure for me. I went from a bustling household of five down to just me and our oldest living at home and working opposite hours. Those were tough times...

But pressure can be a good thing- it forces us to move out of our comfort zone. It forces us to adapt & change... To grow
" That which does not kill us makes us stronger."
Friedrich Nietzsche

I have learned over the years that Nietzche was right.
I have also learned that worrying serves absolutely no purpose

The pressure of everyday life is not worth my sleepless nights, high blood pressure, acid reflux, weight gain & irritable bowel. 
Pressure in the past few years forced me to reevaluate my own coping mechanisms. I decided to make an effort to take some form of control. I  made a conscious effort to become physically healthier & have lost 28 lbs (so far -yay me!) and as a result have been able to drop some meds. 
I also have tried to relinquish control to a higher being and have become more spiritual. I have  learned to accept that I am doing the best I can and I forgive myself if I screw up. I try to take time to be thankful more often and accept that there are some things that I simply cannot change.

None of these things would've happened had I not had pressure. Pressure forces you at some point to find a balance within your life. 
If you learn to "not sweat the small stuff"- you'll find that pretty much most of life is "small stuff". If you are able to do this you will find that pressure can be controlled and used in a positive way.

The Rat Race Trap offers the following suggestions which I believe are helpful:
  • Be Present

  • Surrender to The Chaos

  • Meditate

  • Avoid Snowball thinking

  • Let Others Be Right

  • Accept That Life Isn’t Fair

  • Everything Is Not an Emergency

  • Pick Your Battles

  • Stuff Happens

  • Stop Driving Aggressively

  • Single Task

  • Be Flexible – Things Change

  • Accept That Everything Is Temporary

Lesson learned for me? Embrace life's pressures, just do not let them control you.


      


(*Blatant reference to Queen/David Bowie for xtra points)

6 comments:

  1. A very insightful post! One thing. That Nietzsche quote disturbs me. It always leaves the possibility that some things might just kill us, as we attempt to prove the maxim. Bummer.

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  2. Yuck! I caught a glimpse of that spider again!

    Mo and I have lived long enough now, to have learned most of what's on that list, but sometimes something comes along and side kicks us, knocking us off balance for a while.

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  3. Congratulations to you for taking control of your life and your health. It is never too late to start, and you offer much for thought here. Thanks for sharing your insight.

    I'm with Dufus on that whole "might just kill us" part. I don't want to test that too far.

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  4. Some good tips here, for sure. Pressure can be seen and dealt with in so many ways. I always try and make it into a positive!

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  5. You sound like one smart woman! I hope I can learn some of the lessons you have learned.

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  6. Very, very wise post. 250 points for that. Plus the promised bonus points for the (blatant) Bowie/Queen reference. And another 100 points for that list, but only if you promise that the whole letting others be right starts by letting me be right. Always. :-)

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