Being Overwhelmed Is A Good thing
What ? Really ? Well I 'd like to see him explain his way out of this one. I personally think being overwhelmed is a good thing, either by design or otherwise. First a digression as it would be rude not to.
A number of things have 'pinged' in my brain of late and write a few this morning... First, I
couldn't have my normal breakfast. Yesterday I had made a mental not that we needed some more soya milk...the carton was three quarters full so tomorrow would suffice before having to buy more...there's only me drinking it at the moment, everyone else is into toast or bagels for breakfast. This morning I went to make my cereal..no milk...definitely no milk...then a few pennies all cascaded off the shelf on that 'push-penny arcade game' of a mind. Someone had pancakes...not just anyone, my third born...thanks for that then. No thoughts of 'Best not use all the milk' rather 'Me and my mate want pancakes'...nice one.
Mini-rant over..for now. Some may call me a 'Bibliophile'. It is true, I have many hundreds of books...it is also true I have many hundreds of VHS tapes... I don't get called a 'Videophile'..the difference ? I read but don't watch any of the videos...maybe that's why. I love reading and have done from an early age...steaming through the Ladybird collection at school. Trying to get to the next letter on the 'grading' scale..or was it number..possibly both.
Reading was an escape for me... If I was engrossed in a book I was outside of reality...without boring you with why that was a good thing you'll just have to take my word for it. One of the major advantages of that was that my vocabulary improved... Having a selection of words available to call upon whether in written or verbal form is a good thing.
Is vocabulary key in 'imagination' ? There is a 'postulation' that believes that is the case. Some languages have fewer words in them and their structure is more logical than expressive so does that mean those who have that native tongue have less imagination. Not sure, our minds' eye is visual, although how then can you describe those thoughts ?....ponder on but not to much.
What does any of this have to do with being overwhelmed...once more let me introduce the tenuous link.
Wealthy Affiliate is alive...metaphorically speaking of course... I mean it's not sentient in the traditional sense...although many, I'm sure, would like argue that on another level...still, this isn't Quora so we'll leave it as it is. WA is alive and has a heartbeat that pulses...you can hear it beating rhythmically. It has a pulse and a temperature and foremost a 'mood'... Can you gauge it ? I think so. I have been reading posts this morning and yesterday and there is a similar vein of emotion running through... What is it ? There's a somberness maybe, or could that be misconstrued and it is actually one of 'quiet resolve' or trepidation, maybe.
Is this because the first assignment of the SAC is drawing towards deadline day..who knows
what will come next...does that bring eager anticipation..nervous excitement...are those who are behind keeping their heads down and grinding out the last few posts to meet quota ? Or the ones who have already completed are now waiting anxiously. Is it because for many of you this weekend is about Mothers' Day and all the emotion that that brings with it... Joy, sorrow and remembrance walking hand in hand ?
Channeling our emotions can be a challenge. Emotions by their very nature can be impulsive and bullish. Taking you by surprise. They are but 'energy' and as we know from our school-days, energy never dies it merely changes it form... Same goes for emotions... How many of you have been told to put your anger to better use... to 'let go' of those inhibiting feelings..if you're 'bored' then go an 'do' something.
Being overwhelmed, in my case, can bring forth the same reactions as when you have the release of adrenaline...the emotion that comes from deep within our brains...a part that has remained innermost for millions of years...'Fight or flight' becomes 'Do something or do nothing'...curl up into that fetal position on the sofa or get up and start making plans..wild though they might be at first... Using that 'rush' to channel the scattered thoughts into cohesive action.
That's me done... I want to thank all of you for the wonderful posts that you continually put out. Like I said, I have read a great many over the last few days, in particular but not exclusively by, Fran, Laura and Jenna. They and everyone else have given me the 'inspiration' for not only this blog but for many ideas...you are my new-found bibliography.
As always, just my thoughts, rightly or wrongly
Be well.
Recent Comments
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I enjoyed reading this. I find that when I get overwhelmed, I can at times feel a panic if it involves a time frame I put on myself. I have to stop and breath. I literally tell myself to relax. I have to redirect myself to do something else and come back to the task later and then it usually flows more natural.
T,
Thank you for your take on being Overwhelmed. For me, this (for many reasons) can be a daily feeling.
I have found ways to channel it, depending on the day, and cause...
S
You are always very welcome...I've just deleted a long paragraph of gobbledygook about emotions blah blah blah...just glad you enjoyed it.
Coincidentally, I've just been thinking about overwhelm. An American woman we met in Mexico about 15 years ago was instrumental in our taking a street cat who needed a home. We still have the cat. The woman is on a road trip and we had a lively dinner here at our house, with her and with a couple of other people who have lived in Mexico. Swapping lots of stories! This morning I picked up a book I wrote about a trip my husband and I took driving around parts of Mexico in about 2002. Overwhelm in almost every chapter, and combined with love! Weird combo at times.
We had a goat called Horace once...used to sneak into the kitchen...the dogs never seemed to mind...doesn't quite have the same 'ring' to it though.
Easy to become overwhelmed in here for some folks...then it is time to sit down, take a deep breath, and relax for a moment. When we are moving toward a distant goal, it is a natural wish that we be there already, and then looking at the distance left to go becomes daunting. Relax -- let it come naturally.
There we go back into 'time' as a linear construct...or is it quantum mechanics...Captain Janeway explained it once...Goal, set at some 'non' fixed point in the future...yet we are daunted by the distance left, qualified by the distance we have already covered...towards the goal...wherever that is...
First, Thank you for the honorable mention. You are very kind.
You always have so many thought-provoking words.
Secondly, WA is a beating pulse of energy that is fueled by imagination and overwhelming emotions all wrapped up in a world of exposure.
The tone for the energy is set by each one of us. If we tap into that energy and choose to make it a positive force there is nothing we can't accomplish.
Energy, emotion, positive force and pay-it-forward are WA. Each one of us collectively creates a community for learning and growing. We the members are putting our energy into words for the world to see.
The beauty of this; is we can lean on each other to lay the foundation for our accomplishments.
And you, my friend, have just laid the foundation for another poem I will be writing today.
Again thank you so much. And now go get some milk.
Laura
You are very welcome Laura and thank you for yet another succinctly sublime response...You've just touched on something, sort of connected, that I have only just become aware of this morning. Hoʻoponopono. Serendipity at work..again.
Not only milk..I did the weeks shop...I was on my own so it was quick.
Thanks so much for sharing, Twack!
Some awesome thoughts here!
Wish you great success!
Bob
When the going gets tough, the tough gets going. With the invention of eBook readers it has made access to books easier without having to rely on a library. Blogging can be seen as writing small pamphlets but on an electronic format.
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One way to look at that milk being gone is their pancakes tasted poorly! If that was the case problem solved the next time. Or do a scientific study of why Soya milk should not be used.. :)
Onto the other main subject of your post, being overwhelmed.
The older I get no matter the issue I find myself not becoming overwhelmed. While I was reading your post, I thought about why I was not.
Since my time is far less at this time of my life, it makes no sense to be so.
Also, I used to be quite a hoarder, until one day my son and daughter said most of what I had they would just throw away, and would not like to have to clean the mess after I am gone.
I told my wife I should put something in a new will that states the children get none of my records, VHS tapes or other things I have kept and rarely used, and donate it to charity.
Books could go to the library, as well as the tapes. Other things like furnishing give to Habitat for Humanity, and the house have the executor sell and give proceeds to a charity we choose.
I told them recently what I wanted to do, and now they are thinking otherwise their statement HA Ha! We will see, but your post gave me many thoughts. :)
Those are my thoughts right or wrong. LOL!
Bill
I must admit, this year I have made a concerted effort to 'downsize' my stuff. Not having a garage doesn't help. I really don't think they'd care to much if they didn't get them in the will, even the charity shops won't take VHS anymore, sad times are upon us.