Tag Archives: distress

UBC Day 4 – Disconnect and Distress

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Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

I think I was premature in saying that I’m doing well inspite of the weather. I should be careful in speaking too soon. Shortly after that, things happened. Our Wifi and landline went kaputs. Also our TV since it’s on Wifi. But we had our cellphones and that’s how we could call our provider for help. It wasn’t all that easy to connect with them. When we did, we learned that they couldn’t come till Friday, which was 4 days away. I didn’t know how addicted I was to be connected 24/7. I didn’t know I could get so distressed. Life hadn’t changed except that I couldn’t get Internet and watch TV. I still have a phone. But I felt like I was in a vacuum, closed in and jittery.

I must say that our provider has some very kind and able workers. They gave us extra data on our phone so that we could use the Hotspot to access the Internet and how to use it. They moved our appointment up a day. I think she heard me say that I could go crazy by Friday. The best news was they phoned back to say they had a cancellation and someone came today. Everything was fixed in a very short time. The technician gave me some helpful technical pointers. So Yay! I felt so much better that the TV was on for background noise. I felt part of the world again.

This experience made me realize how vulnerable and dependent we are on technology. What if the whole system crashed and everyone was out of service. I can’t imagine a multitude of people like me going bonkers and twitching at the same time. I think I will try to schedule regular technology-free days to calm myself and disengage from this rat race. I feel very much like a kid who has to push every button he sees. What did we do before when there was no cellphones, Wifi, computers and Internet?

Oh, yes, I still blame the weather. Today is cloudy and even cooler than yesteray. I am wearing fleece. At least I haven’t turn on the furnace. It is July, isn’t it?

JUST START

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It’s friggin’ hard!

Beginnings are hard. How many times have I said that already? A zillion and yet I have found no easy solution. I just have to make a mark somewhere; say something, anything; make a decision one way or another; etc. etc. So often, too often, I’m frozen with indecision, speechless with no words, immobilized with inaction. Sometimes this is worse than doing and saying the wrong things. This is what I’m trying to push through today.

It is very disconcerting. I’m squirming with the discomfort but I’m learning to sit with it, however long it will take. I’m too addicted to the idea of speed, that it shouldn’t take time and effort to do anything. I’ve bought into the idea I can tap, search, enter, and presto! The thing is done. I’ve been short circuiting my brain and short changing myself the experience of doing, following through and completing. No wonder I’m absent minded and forgetful. I have no grooves to store anything. I flit from thing to thing, one idea to another in nana seconds. I do not allow feelings to sink in.

It’s been a few days since I wrote the above. I’m having a writer’s block. It could be I’m just lazy. I’m having a tough go finding meaningful ideas and words. In this moment I am hot and overcome with malaise. But I can still tap with my fingers. How strange that I could feel cold upon waking at 6 this morning. I don’t know what the temperature was then. By 10 am it was already 21 degrees Celsius. Now it is 28 Celsius. I’m feeling all the distress of daily fluctuating temperatures.

So what can I do to alleviate my distress? Coming back to this space helps. The rhythm of tapping on the keyboard is soothing. I’m flexing my small muscles. Asking the question starts me thinking about solutions. It lessens the feeling of being trapped and helpless. I’m quieting my mind and body, taking some deep slow breaths. Recently I came upon Dr. Weil’s 4-7-8 breathing technique where you breathe in to the count of 4, hold for count of 7 and breathe out to the count of 8 for 4 breath cycles. I’ve been doing this twice a day for a few days. I hope to keep it up for a month at least. It takes very little time and the benefits are huge.

 

HUMILITY – The Fall and Rise of the Phoenix

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I wonder why I always feel I have to fix everything that is not right. I don’t. I was told by a therapist that I am not that powerful. I am not. But somehow that feeling is so persistent. I wonder when and how I got the job of being God? I am sucking on a Fisherman’s lozenge and tapping out my ire. Did you know that I could suck on a lozenge and do my swimmer’s breathing under water at the same time. I can. That is my one and only unique talent.

The good news is I’m feeling physically better. My cough has abated with the help of an inhaler. My doctor gave me a sampler – Zenhale. It has earned its name. My breathing is much more zen. No more wheezing. The bad news is that the inhaler is not covered by the drug plan and costs about $125 – $140. The sampler has 60 puffs and I’ve used 6. I have 54 puffs left. 4 more puffs tomorrow and I should be good – for the year, I hope.

I do have other good news. I’m getting better at problem solving. After reading so many of Sue Grafton’s novels, I’m learning a few detective tricks on sleuthing and organizing. I’m using Kinsey’s Millhone’s idea of jotting down important notes on index cards. I’m actually getting my life in order that way. Caroline Myss’ teachings are true wisdom. Her putting your head in the toilet for 7 minutes have snapped me out of ‘feeling sorry for myself blues’ over and over. Her blunt, bare bone honesty has enough humour that makes what she says tolerable. She can be harsh but she gives good counsel.

Times that I find myself so distraught, I would have done so many silly and maybe harmful things – had I not heard her voice in my ear. Go ahead, eat that ice cream. You might feel better for the moment. But…she lost that one. I did eat some delicious hot chocolate sundae. Her voice was not harsh enough. I did listen to the haircut one. I could be sorry. Even if I’m not, does that change anything? Buying something expensive and extravagant – hah! What does that fix except a bigger hole in your expense? Go put your head in the toilet for 7 minutes! And so that 7 minutes was walking off my distress. Then I was fine. I looked into all the stores and saw all the junk. I don’t want to buy any of that.

The lesson I’ve learned over and over is I don’t have to fix everything right now or at all. I can’t make all bad feeling go away. They don’t have to go. They can stay where they are. I can walk away from them leave them behind. Who says I have to carry them around?

It is the next afternoon. I’m eating apple pie and drinking tea. I can’t say that I feel on top of the world but I’m aiming for it. My success is probably minimal. Pessimistic, I know. My cold is still hanging on, though not with deep hooks. I find laying down to sleep is still a problem so I will have to do the best I can. But my attitude SUCKS.

My biggest problem is that I accept all the blame for everything that goes wrong. You see it is about my so felt inadequacies, my jealousies, my lack of generosity and kindness, my selfishness and meanness, my obsession with taking things personally. How many times do I have to kick myself in the teeth? Shall I come to you on wounded knees? Shall I beg for forgivenness and redemption? Am I really guilty of all these infractions? Is it really true? Shall I give up ‘all my, though not really mine fault’ so that I can feel happier? So how the hell am I going to do that? I suppose now I have to figure that out.

One thing I have learnt well is to speak in the first person singular – always. It is all about me. It is not about blame. It is all about bringing clarity to mind. It is all about being vulnerable. I do tell – but it is on me. I’m learning about humility – the falling and rising of the Phoenix. What I know for sure if you come upon an obstacle/problem, you can skirt it, jump/fly over it, pretend it is not there, whatever…There are no magic tricks to make it go away. The only solution is to solve it. Don’t ask me how.

THE MOON AND ME – AugustMoon Day 8

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AugustMoon Day 8 photo prompt

AugustMoon Day 8 photo prompt

I sat outside and told my secrets to the moon.  She listened with full attention, nodding and smiling.  I talked and talked, not stopping for a breath.  At long last I fell silent, empty of secrets.  I realized then the moon had not said a word. Silence was her reply.

How wise she was!  Had she any advice to give, would I have heeded?  So burdened and distraught I was, I would not have or wanted to listen to another. I would have argued and argued.  I would have fought.

Her silence allowed me room to vent, to air my secrets and dissipate the distress they brought with them.  I felt spent but relieved.  I looked up and smiled.  The moon smiled back. I was looking at my own reflection – Sister Moon.