Earlier this week I had a dream that a pressure cooker exploded in my kitchen.
The shit was loud as fuck, and I was startled out of my sleep. Once I calmed down and realized it wasn't real, I was like OK, so what's up with this? I meditated and prayed on it, and I realized that a lot of us are under pressure. Pressure from work, pressure from our families, pressure from life in general. But if we know that we're under pressure, why do we lack sympathy, empathy, compassion, and love for others? They probably are under pressure too. We aren't the only ones going through things in life, so why do we move like we are? I know we have a tendency to think that is just us, but that really is just the ego talking.
The underlying frustration of moving in a Covid world is stressing us all out. Having to make adjustments in how we work, how we parent, how we move through life in general is stressful. And all the while the pressure is building, but are we acknowledging it? And if we are, what do we do about it? Do we continue to ignore the fact that we need one another, or do we let the pressure build until there's an explosion and someone gets hurt? Unfortunately I don't have the answer, because if I did, I wouldn't explode as often as I do. I'm the worst at asking for help in the moment, and then being bitter because I didn't get any assistance. (Yeah, I'm that type, working on it though.) But what I do know is that the little things help. A conversation with a friend. TV. A good book. Sex. Music. Exercise. Whatever you need to be reminded that there is joy to be found.
The flip side of it is indulging so much that you don't get to the root of what's causing the pressure. Some things you can't control, like a tween who thinks they know everything. 😒 Other things you can though. Like stop saying yes to things you don't have to do and also don't want to do. Either way, until you get to the bottom of it, the pressure build and release will continue to cycle. It's not a healthy existence.
Like I said, I'm working on it. Identifying the ways I allow frustration to build. How hard it is for me to be honest about the feeling of overwhelm that is taking over. And also being ok with taking a break. Yes, life responsibilities are piling up, but some days it's ok to be like...yeah, not right now. They will be there when you come back.
And if you aren't feeling pressure, (Thanks be 🙌🏾), maybe someone in your life could use a hand easing into that space. Because that's what families do, and we family over here, right?
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