Listen for the Answer

 

Good Question

“What is complicating my life right now?”

Elaine St. James (Living the Simple Life, p.72; Hyperion, 1996)

          Does your life seem unmanageably complicated? Trying to balance home, job, children, co-workers, in-laws, out-laws, aging parents, neglected friendships, and  incomprehensible technology, is more than a full-time job. Some of us are trying to do all of this while wearing a mask, social distancing and home-schooling our kids because of the pandemic. Stress much?

          Here’s a good follow-up question for you from Elaine St. James: “What do I need to do to simplify in these areas?” Did I just hear a collective groan? It may seem as if there is nothing one can do right now, but there is. One simple thing we can all do is breathe. Right now, take a single minute to breathe in fully, slowly, and exhale three times. Breathe into your belly and expand your lungs. If we were to stop just three times a day to breathe deeply, we would feel better.

          Sometimes when we ask the question, “What is complicating my life?” we immediately distract ourselves because we don’t want to hear the answer. Sometimes, the answer means we must confront our commitments and pare them down to a few of the most essential. It means, in other words, we have to give up something we value.

          I don’t know about you, but I have cut way back on commitments during the pandemic. I miss socializing on a regular basis, but not as much as I thought I would. And not going out as often as usual means I’ve saved a respectable amount of cash. But one of the reasons we make our lives so complicated and over-committed in the first place is so that we are too busy to ask those big questions and listen for the answers—we know the answers mean a lifestyle change.

          From time to time, as we’re running in our hamster wheel, we should stop and inquire within. Here are a few more good questions: Why am I doing this? Why am I taking on more than I can handle, and stressing myself to this degree? Why, indeed? What toll is it taking on my health and wellbeing to run this unholy gambit every day? Who is benefitting from it? If you listen inside for the answers, you will know what to do. The inner physician always has the best game plan—one that leads to a longer, healthier and happier life. All that is required is that we ask the questions, listen for the answers, and then follow through.

                                                  In the Spirit,

                                                  Jane