The importance of unimportant

Catchy phrase, isn’t it? I thought so too. Thing is, it’s much more than a phrase. It’s a way of life. It’s a whole new deal. And how is that? Give stress a break. Let’s get down to a lower level and check out how this is done.

For starters, I’m not unique, which means that there are a lot of people out there that take their life and goals a little too serious. So serious that it became dramatic when certain things were unachievable for one reason or another.

How to cope to that extreme seriousness was a challenge. Things were not always that way. Somewhere along the line, it changed from an innocent childhood to a dark period, caused only by seeing things in black and white, no gray scale. When you feel losing ground, your world crumbling and you can do nothing about it, you have two choices: conformity or rebellion. Either way is not such a great choice. I lacked one very important thing, a midterm. Extremes are very easy choices. It requires no attention to details.

It’s kind of like having a meal. If you want to satisfy your physiological needs, you can go to a fast food. If you aim to give yourself a treat, get to a proper restaurant, order what you know is good, take time to enjoy the wine and whatever food you are served. Don’t rush in, let pleasure work it’s way into your senses.

Changes have become a constant in life, as most people said it would. But when those changes are for the worst most of the times, and it’s out of your control, then you can get really enraged and fight off any one that tries to mess with your reality.

One other aspect is that you get extremely defensive and deny entry into your world. No one gets in unless proven worthy over and over again. And sometimes you feel that conceding that reward is partly a favor you do to those that have been more than common friends for quite some time now. So, very few get there, if any. And the world will never get to know the treasures some of these people have inside, because they just don’t let anyone in.

Well, chilling out happens when you are ready. No matter how much people tell you what to do, how to act or react.

One tip, that no one who really needs it will acknowledge: Things are rarely as important or grave as we see them. Rushing into a response to whatever challenges life poses, usually hands out poor results. Prioritize. Have what’s more important, get to your attention first. Have the humbleness to know when you are over the top. Ask for help whenever you need to. And here’s the gold, take time to do nothing. Allow yourself just to relax and absolutely do nothing. Forget the agenda, toss out that enslaving wrist watch and the ever demanding cell phone. Say goodbye to your boss.

Alone or with a special someone, get out. Get to that special Zen place I was referring to earlier and just let yourself go. Take a break from the world. Even if everything is on fire, there is bound to be someone else to put it out. Even God took some time off at the seventh day.

So, when all things lose their urgency, nature finds it’s own way to fall back into place. Can you do that? Stop red lighting everything in your life? It will be worth the try, believe me.