How am I coping?
There is a lot that is going on. ‘Out there’- outside of us -in our families, workspaces, cities, societies and even within ourselves.
Not all of it is positive. Not all of it brings hope.
How do we cope when we just keep witnessing and experiencing what is broken, hurt or harmed?
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For some of us, it may be that we throw ourselves into work to distract ourselves and not deal with the immediate issues coming up. This coping mechanism may be aided by the fast-paced world we are living in, where productivity is applauded and being busy is considered sought after coping strategy. In this pursuit of productivity and busyness, many of us may have found ourselves hustling, running through the day to get things done. This hustle culture is widespread and leaves us with an illusion of worth and success, while often losing sight of the present moment.
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Hustle culture does not rest. It does not take lunch breaks away from the dreaded screen. Hustle culture is what makes us put all our focus on only one area of our lives – our work. It is an ideology that brings on pangs of guilt when taking a break, and gives a false idea that there is only one way ‘up’. It is important to recognise our own ideas of worth and success and its relation to productivity. What are the voices that have shaped these ideas of value and self-worth within our minds? Do our imperfections make us less valuable or do they make us human?
What happens in our body when we are constantly striving for productivity and perfectionism? Does it help us to power through or shut down our minds and bodies?
ASK YOURSELF
1
What all am I dealing with right now? Am I trying to attain perfection in all?
2
Can I allow myself to focus on things I have been able to do as opposed to things that remain unchecked?
3
Can I acknowledge the challenges I am experiencing and invite some compassion for myself to acknowledge how tough it has been?
4
What am I telling myself that is not helping me?
