PhotoCredit: Imaginering
When life starts happening to us, we default to blaming the big stuff. "I need a holiday" is the immediate and obvious reaction to life's chaotic moments. Closely followed with "I need a new job."
We blame the obvious villains: our partner/boss/colleagues/neighbours/parents/children. Clearly they are the cause of our problems. "If only I didn't have 'x' holding me back."
When life gets hard, we tend to overcorrect. Or at least see the solution in change of a dramatic proportion. The answer clearly lies in switching it all up and getting a new career; moving house; working overseas; or (and) starting a side hustle. With a side order fantasy of disappearing on a 3+ week meditation/yoga retreat. Well, maybe that's just me
The other week I suggested breathwork as a starting place to move through overwhelm. Telling someone to breathe always seems like the most low-level and obvious advice. Right up there with suggesting we drink more water. Oh, and getting more sleep.
We tell ourselves stories that over-complicate our reality. Sure, breathing isn't going to make the endless deadlines stop, but it will help you get clarity about what is really going on. Water isn't going to make you happy, but it will make you feel considerably more energized and capable of dealing with what is thrown your way. And sleep isn't going to stop your kids fighting, but it will allow you to cope infinitely better with your frustration.
We can't see the trees and we only see the forest. Life happens in the simple moments. Optimizing the little things in your life has real power. Big solutions exist in small changes.