Life is chaotic. There are increasing demands on our attention and time. There’s work deadlines, meetings, email, responding to texts, social media, car maintenance, doing groceries, children’s activities, going to the gym, making dinner, your kids’ homework, staying in touch with family and friends and planning vacations to name a few.
This does not account for the infrequent emergencies which we often have to deal with such as a leak in your basement, car trouble, a computer crash, a furnace which stops working, a clogged toilet, a viral infection, a sprained ankle an out-of-control child at school and any other number of things that can go wrong.
You can see that it is not difficult to get overwhelmed in your daily life. No wonder people become stressed out, overly anxious, depressed and banging their heads against the wall. So what is the solution for this constant mayhem and chaos that we are constantly faced with !
Its simple but not easy. Just stop. Stop what you are doing right now. Sit down in a comfortable position, close your eyes or focus on something in your environment and just breathe. While you do this bring your attention to your inner environment.
It does not matter how busy you are, what’s on your to do list, who is demanding whatever out of you and what deadlines you are facing. You see, when you are overwhelmed, trying to get more done in less time is just counterproductive and only creates more frustration and disappointment.
It may seem irresponsible and a waste of time to just stop and be, but what you will find is that this practice will help you get centred and grounded, alleviate your stress and anxiety, find your inner calm and give you an experience of your true nature.
It is from this place that you will be able to know who you are, find inner peace and serenity, experience true joy, empower your personal relationships and tackle any challenge that life throws at you.
It may seem counterintuitive to just stop but the only way to prove this to yourself is to just try it. Do it sometime today or this week when you are feeling overwhelmed. I can promise you that you will be pleasantly surprised and will take your life to a higher level.
Nauman Naeem MD