Everything is in flux

Things are always changing. Sometimes small trickles of variance runs through your life and during these periods everything feels ordered, predictable, easy to cope with, comfortable. Other times a rushing torrent sweeps through, nothing is familiar and it seems very difficult to keep your feet.

A new job, buying a home, getting married or moving in with someone, having a child; all these things change our lives in dramatic ways. Our natural reaction is usually to resist change; to brace for impact as the wave crashes over us. The bigger the change, the less our surroundings are familiar and the less they provide comfort. It feels like part of our identity is being eroded.

The strange thing is, that even when a change is something we’ve instigated ourselves, I often battle psychologically with the cascading effects that follow – sometimes because of this perceived reduction in "self”.

The point I’m getting at (finally!) is that in the same situation, viewed from a different standpoint, nothing has changed…

Because everything has always been in flux…

Keeping that mental equilibrium and sense of self when everything around has changed; now thats a life-skill

Grasp the nettle

My highschool Design teacher had a sign above his desk in the staff area;

“Grasp the Nettle”.

I remember asking what the hell it meant.

“Stop procrastinating” basically.

If something’s difficult, scary, confusing or annoying, then you’re far better just putting it at the top of your to-do list and facing it head-on. If not it’ll eat away at your soul all the time you’re putting it off and by the time you HAVE to tackle it, it may well be even more of a chore than it really was in the first place.

Sadly it took me a few years more of burying my head in the sand before I really understood and was able to apply it. I think most true-isms are tough to stomach.