Thomas Cole, The Oxbow, 1836 by Philip Monte Verde
Call it the Darkest Before the Dawn principal.
I've been struggling to find a specific direction in my life. Not exactly a problem unique to me, I know. In my free time I've been jumping from business textbook to self-improvement webpage in the hopes that I can learn my way through the problem. The other night, the physical limits of technology granted me an opportunity when my laptop restarted to install Windows updates and my smartphone battery ran out.
I desperately searched my proximity for something to read. Coming up empty I decided to see what happened if I just sat still. Forced to be alone with your thoughts, some wild things can happen. Any convict in solitary confinement will tell you that. For me, tonight, it was that familiar anxiety that comes from being forced to acknowledge the elephants in your brain.
Call it the Darkest Before the Dawn principal.
I've been struggling to find a specific direction in my life. Not exactly a problem unique to me, I know. In my free time I've been jumping from business textbook to self-improvement webpage in the hopes that I can learn my way through the problem. The other night, the physical limits of technology granted me an opportunity when my laptop restarted to install Windows updates and my smartphone battery ran out.
I desperately searched my proximity for something to read. Coming up empty I decided to see what happened if I just sat still. Forced to be alone with your thoughts, some wild things can happen. Any convict in solitary confinement will tell you that. For me, tonight, it was that familiar anxiety that comes from being forced to acknowledge the elephants in your brain.
We've seen time and time again how adversity must be passed through before a better life can shine in. We may have to take that uncomfortable step of breaking up with a loved one, having a long put-off talk with someone or quitting our job. But usually that darkest hour heralds a better life.
This can be seen all around. To me it is a truism that the moment complaints from people about one thing or another get the loudest is the same moment what they're complaining about has ebbed. Often it is a case of the squeaky wheel getting the grease, but I believe it's just that every saga of life is arc shaped. The moment we say out loud "boy this arc is really arcing," is the moment it starts to bend back.
Tonight, it took me only a couple of minutes to reach that conclusion and ease my anxiety. I didn't come up with a new life direction, but I refound the faith that the answers will emerge. After all, they always have before.
So my advice would be to take a moment to stare straight ahead at nothing. Let all the inputs that have been pressed into your brain settle. Don't ignore the weight of life that you swoops in, but acknowledge it for what it is; no more, no less. Because if it's awful now, then it will soon be much better.
This can be seen all around. To me it is a truism that the moment complaints from people about one thing or another get the loudest is the same moment what they're complaining about has ebbed. Often it is a case of the squeaky wheel getting the grease, but I believe it's just that every saga of life is arc shaped. The moment we say out loud "boy this arc is really arcing," is the moment it starts to bend back.
Tonight, it took me only a couple of minutes to reach that conclusion and ease my anxiety. I didn't come up with a new life direction, but I refound the faith that the answers will emerge. After all, they always have before.
So my advice would be to take a moment to stare straight ahead at nothing. Let all the inputs that have been pressed into your brain settle. Don't ignore the weight of life that you swoops in, but acknowledge it for what it is; no more, no less. Because if it's awful now, then it will soon be much better.