How to deal with a Midsummer Night Crisis
"Established within themselves they are equal in pleasure and pain, praise and blame, kindness and unkindness."
~ Sri Krishna
The Bhagavad Gita, translated by Eknath Easwaran
I told my sister the other day, during one of our 45 minute phone conversations, that I was having a mid-life crisis.
"Your life expectancy is only till 40?"
Hmm, well if I keep overworking my sympathetic nervous system, increasing my risk for hypertension, and beating down my immune system then, maybe?
These past few months have been a roller coaster, to say the least. From my foot injury, to a flea infestation in our rented house, to waging wars with my fellow motorists every single day I drive to work (can you please stop honking at me? we get it, your honk works..test it on someone else) the stressors are present everywhere...in copious amounts.
I've cried a lot, thought a lot, worried a lot, and watched a bunch of Bollywood movies to console myself, but here's what really works:
1) Just close your eyes and breathe. I used to dismiss meditation as a waste of my precious time; I'd much rather be doing something active or getting to that pile of homework. But just take a few minutes in the evening after a busy day to sit quietly and experience the air that surrounds you, the positive energy within your soul, and the tools you already have to make your future less dismal than you think it is. Even the biggest of problems will seem like temporary bumps in the road.
2) Be nice. By this I mean not just acts of altruism like holding the door open for someone or tipping your barista who looks like he could use a cup of coffee himself, but actually making an effort to think more compassionately. Mentally send well wishes to your loved ones...and your not-so-loved ones. Stay away from those you do not get along with, but don't harbor hatred for them. That hatred will become your own poison.
3) Don't get too sad. As a self professed drama queen, this is probably the hardest thing for me! When I first discovered I couldn't walk, that ignoble Sunday evening two months ago, everyone else discovered that I'd make a fabulous Blanche DuBois if Streetcar was to be re-enacted anytime soon. It's really not that bad, I promise. Sure, cry in the shower for a few minutes, listen to all the sad heartbreaking music you can get your hands on, but do not, whatever you do, do not make the lives of the people around you miserable too. The sooner you console yourself, the sooner you will heal.
4) Don't get too happy. There is such a thing as "too good to be true." I knock on wood ALL the time, and never let myself imagine too bright of a future. The higher your castles are built, the more damage you've got to fix in the case that it comes crashing down.
5) Work. There's no better way to forget whatever it is that you're dealing with. Find your passion, be it dancing or singing or writing or painting and work at developing your talents in your field of interest. Make it your life, and you won't even notice when that pesky problem of yours creeps away just as sneakily as it arrived.
I am truly thankful for everyone I've met to this day and every experience I've had, pleasant and unpleasant. Every day is inspiring, every moment is a lesson. Every thought is a gift, every breath is a blessing.
~ Sri Krishna
The Bhagavad Gita, translated by Eknath Easwaran
I told my sister the other day, during one of our 45 minute phone conversations, that I was having a mid-life crisis.
"Your life expectancy is only till 40?"
Hmm, well if I keep overworking my sympathetic nervous system, increasing my risk for hypertension, and beating down my immune system then, maybe?
These past few months have been a roller coaster, to say the least. From my foot injury, to a flea infestation in our rented house, to waging wars with my fellow motorists every single day I drive to work (can you please stop honking at me? we get it, your honk works..test it on someone else) the stressors are present everywhere...in copious amounts.
I've cried a lot, thought a lot, worried a lot, and watched a bunch of Bollywood movies to console myself, but here's what really works:
1) Just close your eyes and breathe. I used to dismiss meditation as a waste of my precious time; I'd much rather be doing something active or getting to that pile of homework. But just take a few minutes in the evening after a busy day to sit quietly and experience the air that surrounds you, the positive energy within your soul, and the tools you already have to make your future less dismal than you think it is. Even the biggest of problems will seem like temporary bumps in the road.
2) Be nice. By this I mean not just acts of altruism like holding the door open for someone or tipping your barista who looks like he could use a cup of coffee himself, but actually making an effort to think more compassionately. Mentally send well wishes to your loved ones...and your not-so-loved ones. Stay away from those you do not get along with, but don't harbor hatred for them. That hatred will become your own poison.
3) Don't get too sad. As a self professed drama queen, this is probably the hardest thing for me! When I first discovered I couldn't walk, that ignoble Sunday evening two months ago, everyone else discovered that I'd make a fabulous Blanche DuBois if Streetcar was to be re-enacted anytime soon. It's really not that bad, I promise. Sure, cry in the shower for a few minutes, listen to all the sad heartbreaking music you can get your hands on, but do not, whatever you do, do not make the lives of the people around you miserable too. The sooner you console yourself, the sooner you will heal.
4) Don't get too happy. There is such a thing as "too good to be true." I knock on wood ALL the time, and never let myself imagine too bright of a future. The higher your castles are built, the more damage you've got to fix in the case that it comes crashing down.
5) Work. There's no better way to forget whatever it is that you're dealing with. Find your passion, be it dancing or singing or writing or painting and work at developing your talents in your field of interest. Make it your life, and you won't even notice when that pesky problem of yours creeps away just as sneakily as it arrived.
I am truly thankful for everyone I've met to this day and every experience I've had, pleasant and unpleasant. Every day is inspiring, every moment is a lesson. Every thought is a gift, every breath is a blessing.
Comments
Post a Comment