Hypnotes June 2009 ~ Take the day off!
I was delighted to get more than the usual amount of feedback regarding last month’s column. Regular readers will remember I touched on taking responsibility for ourselves and preparing for better days, and it seems it struck a chord. This month I want to write a few words about how we have to protect ourselves. Not in the obvious ways, but protecting ourselves internally, protecting our emotional energies and resources, because without them, we are fit for nothing.
It takes emotional energy to deal with our problems, to meet the daily challenges of life such as unemployment, illness and disease, going to work, functioning at work, dealing with lack of finances, child minding, supporting friends and family in their needs and much more. Every day we are bombarded by demands, important decisions, the wants, needs and expectations of others. All these demands take emotional energy away from us, and once it is drained, it takes time to replenish. In these difficult times, we all need to take care of ourselves; this isn’t selfishness, it is self preservation.
Sometimes we have to take a day off from getting better, or striving to achieve our life ambitions, sometimes we simply need to take time out from our daily routines. Yes, I know it is the modern trend to say ‘push through your problems’ or to ‘try harder’ and ‘don’t be beaten’ and many others of those ‘power phrases’ of motivation. But the reality is none of it is possible if we don’t have the emotional energy to do it. A high powered car, which can do 0-60mph in 4.2seconds, is useless unless it has the fuel to achieve its optimum level of performance. Our inner energy is the fuel we need to perform to our optimum level. So however good the ‘power phrases’ sound the reality is somewhat different.
It is our responsibility to ensure we look after ourselves by maintaining optimum energy and health. And sometimes this means we have to stop what we are doing and simply rest. Taking time out for ourselves is important, because we are important. When people come to my practice, it is rare that we meet every week, unless something extremely threatening or important is happening in the individuals’ life. And the reason we do not usually meet weekly is because the changes we make have to be structured and gradual.
So the simple message is to keep moving on, keep learning and finding ways to better ourselves in all areas of our life, but to do it with structure, to rest and be gentle with ourselves in the process. If we burn ourselves out we are little use to anyone, ambitions will be put on hold, recovery takes much longer and frustration and negative thoughts often become the norm. When I work with people who have burned themselves out, the journey back to recovery is often much longer than it had to be, if they had recognised the importance of taking time out for themselves a little earlier.
If you have any issues or problems preventing you from moving on or you simply require an independent confidential ‘sounding board’ contact me, I am here to help.
Readers unable to visit my practice are encouraged to look at the self help / self development audio programs here
