This is the time of year when I talk to many frazzled people.
Are you able to bounce back?
Whether it’s teachers who have just completed another gruelling year, whether it’s parents just starting out on the “school holiday journey” or any number of other people who have hit the mid-point in the year and just feel frazzled!
One of the things I have come to realise is that my bounce back ability is considerably lacking as we hit July, and this seems to apply to many others. We have juggled bills, budgeted until we are sick of looking at numbers, we’ve planned and re-planned to accommodate new plans and quite frankly, we’re a little weary.
Is it an age thing?
This week a client and I talked about needing to accept out age in this equation too. I have never been someone that has felt defined by my age, half the time I have to work out exactly how old I am, and I love that. HOWEVER,… as we get older, there is a level of acceptance that we need to make (actually helps us to make) to enable us to pace ourselves accordingly.
I am not talking about giving up or giving in (not that I even like or agree with those statements in this context) but understanding our bodies, our mental state.
What do you have the capacity for?
I am a 54-year-old menopausal woman – there are certain things now that I struggle with and that tends to be stamina. Now, I can choose to fight that and there are often occasions where I need to and want to, but there are also times when I have to say “no, can’t take that on right now/I can’t commit to that right now, I am just too tired or don’t have the capacity to do so.”
I find that I can get side swiped by news stories – sad stories, unnecessary violence, hunger, poverty – they all zap me if I am over exposed to it. It’s not I want to or should ignore them. BUT I have to pace myself as to when I read them or watch them (something I rarely do) to enable me to invest my energy where it is needed at the time.
Acceptance can be a healthy start.
For me accepting what is, and going with it, actually makes me MORE productive as I pace myself and prioritise where I place my energy.
So all of those who are feeling frazzled right now, what can you change about your day to day life to be in line with who you are today? Right here, right now – not the twenty year old you once were? There’s no shame in changing the pace. You can speed up and slow down whenever you need to especially when you’re in control.
Bouncing back is still achievable – hell yeah, it might just be more of a sedate and elegant bounce, rather than a Tigger like, frantic bounce.
