Change, change, change Part II

I suddenly got it in my head that I should continue my "discourse" on change...

After my last post, I realised that I am surrounded by change, so I started thinking about what it was that made change such an unwelcome visitor to one's life. Here's what I got so far:

1. We are all creatures of habit.

Believe it or not, we like routine. There are the select few who claims that they thrive on change, and for a time, I thought I was such a person. However, a deeper reflection revealed that, while some may thrive on circumstantial change, many of the mundane things are very much routine. For example: the type of shampoo one uses, the kind of cereal one eats for breakfast, the type of clothes one wears... You get the idea.

While not conclusive, it appears to me that each of us need a certain routine in order to feel grounded, stable. Without such grounding, one can be quietly overwhelmed by latent stress, whose detection is often late (hence, the moniker "latent")' and then person already suffering some detriment.

In my roller coaster life, my routine involves sitting in my living room, and watching old episodes of "Star Trek", "Get Smart" or "Bionic Woman"... The fact that I've watched them before (many times!) seem to have a soothing effect upon my psyche, while not brining it to a complete stop, but at least to a fairly sedated state :)

2. Change = Uncertainty = Scary = Stress

Let's face it: change is scary... Because it represents uncertainty. Inasmuch as we try to look on the bright side of things, there is always the part about change that may be negative, or unfavorable. If we adhere to the axiom that "nothing in life is certain", then changes are bound to bring with it a certain amount of uncertainty, which leads to stress.

Mostly, in life, there is no sure thing. Thus the expression "Man proposes; God disposes". We can plan till we are blue in the face, but we will never be able to completely ameliorate uncertainty. Accepting that is the first step towards less stress in uncertain times.

I do, however, caution against a lackadaisical attitude, which may lead to a disastrous consequence. But I'll let that slide for now.

When dealing with uncertainty, my approach (which I readily accept as flawed) is always to deal with the situation with as much objectivity and logic, with as much input and feedback from my inner circle as possible. Often, I shelve my own feelings and emotions, which consequently get clogged up inside, and eventually, will demand its own attention.

Ok ok... So I'm a work in progress.

3. Change can be unexpected

Adding to the stresses that change can bring, sometimes, the suddenness by which the change presents itself is daunting. Often, it can be a swift call to action, that places tremendous stress upon one's mental faculties, financial resources, and emotional fortitude. Such changes often catch us on the defensive, in a state of little or no preparedness.

Personally, I dislike these kinds of changes the most.

It is bad enough to know that some changes are on the way; it is much worse when it comes out of nowhere and bites you in the ass. The pressure to make a good, informed choice that will do the most good, the least bad, that will result in a win-win for all is... quite impossible.

Times like these, I remember that I am human, born to make mistakes, and to just attune my learning antennas to assimilate whatever the situation is teaching me, knowing that everything is temporary, and that God who loves me is in control.

Well, that's about all I have for now... Shall write part III should I feel more change coming :)

aw

Change, change, change

They say that change is the only constant in life... They really know what they're talking about!

This year is definitely one that is marked with changes, of all shape, size and variety. I'll be the first to admit that I'm rather breathless (literally) from the myriad changes that is pouring into my life...

And in all aspects too.

It is already a difficult task to have change in one area of one's life, but several at a go? And all major ones at that! Frankly, I'm pretty much at the end of my tether; I'm so passed shock that I can barely move to react.

It certainly doesn't help the situations at all... If only all changes can be ( successfully) met with inaction; I'll be the most successful "changed" person ever. Alas! Such is not the case in the land of living, in the realm of the real.

I'll admit to difficulty in determining my course of action. The alternatives all seem rather untenable. Yet, I need to decide and I need to move. Of course, it would be wrong of me to say that all the situations weighing upon my shoulders are of equal consequence. Some are truly of my own doing; of those, I will surely grouse less about.

But the fact remains that all these changes do add up to stress. And despite my best attempts to alleviate my stres, I seem to meeting with little to no success. A trip to my Chinese physician confirmed my agitated state. All I hope now is that her prescriptives will do me some good. It is rather potent; I am sleeping more soundly these last two days (after months of restless sleep). The dreams however have become more vivid, and if I were to subscribe to the notion that dreams are the mind's way of purging excess/ negative emotions, then I must surely have a very sizable backlog!

I can hear the voices of my friends chanting "Too much! Too much!" of late, I have started to consider if I am in fact doing too much. But I ascribe such thoughts to my fatigued state and over-wrought mind. Let's see if a few more days of deep sleep and adequate food will change things :)

Hey! If change is a constant, then I'm making some for myself, right now!

Nitez!

aw