It
is true that most of us want to do something good; want to be happy; want to
begin our day with lots of hope and to end the day relishing the experiences
and achievements before finally falling in the bed to enjoy a sound sleep with
sweet dreams. But do whatever we want materialize on a daily basis? Definitely
not. It’s a normal phenomenon and it happens with everybody. Ironically
however, many people find it discomforting and worrisome. Yes, you too must
have come across an advertisement where it is shown that an employee returns
home completely exhausted and dejected to ask his wife, when will the weekly
off or holiday come? Health surveys say that in today’s fast office and
professional life a number of persons are found to be under pressure to achieve
the performance target that leads to tension and anxiety - the initial phase of
heart disease, diabetes and kidney problems – to name the least. Their friends
do deliver the same dialogue that why only you, currently many people are going through lots of worry
and anxiety, no matter how well off they are and how many advantages they
command.
Waiting
for a weekly off or holiday, these people live a worrisome life particularly
during the weekdays. They are neither able to eat and sleep properly nor able
to weep loudly to ease themselves out. They rarely find anyone around with
whom they can share their problems and anxieties. They feel perplexed about
what to do and how to get relief? Level of tension and worry soars. Mostly
without any reason or logic, family members at home and subordinate colleagues
at the workplace face the angry outbursts which further aggravate the problem.
At times, the situation seems unmanageable. As a shortcut remedy or an easy
option, they take alcohol or sleeping pills. But, again in the very next
morning, the problem comes to the fore with the same or added gravity.
Why?
This
is because on most of the occasions they create their own tension due
to their faulty thinking and perception. And on top of this they are in the habit of carrying the negative thoughts
- the anxiety issues in their mind and continue to struggle finding solutions
in a confused state. In fact, their problem gets compounded in this
way. Dr. Alexis Carrel says that businessmen who do not know how to fight
worry die young. So true. Here the question is whether this is the case with
every office goer, salaried person and every professional or it depends on how
a person actually responds to a difficult situation at home or elsewhere?
Many
experts are of the opinion that your worry or tension is basically not the
result of any happening, circumstances, problem, challenge or incident. It is
actually the result of your reaction most of the time and not response to these
factors. And your reaction is nothing but the natural outcome of your thought
process. Did you know the difference between the reaction and response? Simply
speaking, the reaction is instant and the response is thoughtful. Here, it is
also desirable to know well what are you worrying about and what you can do to
solve it.
To
say exactly, if you sit well, sip a glass of water and take pen and paper to
write down the issues troubling you and then try to note down the probable
practical solutions just against it based on your assessment and
judgement, you will find to your surprise that most of your problems are
solved. It is because you came to the position of clarity from confusion that
you were carrying in your mind only to get it compounded. And if anything
remains unresolved, that can very well be attempted with a cool and calm mind
in the light of fresh wisdom and confidence gained through your own simple but
magical effort to manage worry. To say, confusion is one of the main causes of
worry and tension and when we are worried, our emotions are riding high. So, it
is better to keep our emotions under control. Experts do say that if you devote
time to know the facts in an impartial and professional manner, your worries
would usually evaporate in the light of knowledge. Lou Holtz asserts it in this
way: ‘It is not the load that breaks you down, it is the way you carry it.’
Isn’t it an interesting and important topic? Then, just take a pause to ponder over such worrisome issues whenever you are confronted with to find a solution logically with confidence and clarity in order to enjoy life every day without waiting for weekly off or holiday.
As always, I'm keen to know what you think on this subject. Hence, I request you to post your comments to share your valuable opinion. (hellomilansinha@gmail.com)
# Published in my Sunday Column of "Morning India" daily.
# Click here to enjoy my Blog in Hindi, "Chalte, Chalte" (चलते, चलते)
