« And So It Begins | Main | Mac Daddy »
Final Fantasy
I'm such a little stress monkey, and it seems that everyone knows it. Last night, Jack asked me how work was going. I replied, "Stressful," and he said, "Self-imposed?"
It does seem true that in my life, there's nearly always something stressing me out. I always have a list of things to do, things that must get done, things that I really should be doing. In part, it's a good habit because it ensures that I'm always making progress, learning new things, getting things done, moving toward a goal. In part, it's not a good habit because I end up feeling pressure over really silly things like painting my nails. (I wish I was kidding.)
The problem is that my ultimate goal is unattainable - I think that in the back of my mind I'm hoping that someday my life will run like clockwork and every day I'll wake up with the sun, run 3 miles, practice yoga, eat a breakfast full of whole grains and antioxidant-rich fruits, go to a job where I am instrumental in some major technological or world-changing endeavor and where I am constantly mentally stimulated and I drink 6-8 glasses of water, return to a spotlessly clean and decorated home, eat a balanced dinner, read a book, knit a sweater, write letters to all my friends, volunteer for an arts organization and a children's shelter, and enjoy a happy, harmonious marriage with my adoring husband with whom I generate hardly any waste because we compost, reuse, and recycle. In this fantasy I can afford laser hair removal and I never have to shave my legs; I am also perfectly manicured, my hair looks great, and my vintage clothes are the envy of all. My skin is also flawless. The best part of this fantasy is that, because everything is so perfect, I also have time to just relax in my landscaped backyard with a magazine and a glass of iced tea.
I dunno, perhaps I need to lower my expectations of myself - and the world around me - just a hair.
Posted March 21, 2004 10:36 PM | On This Day: 2005 2003
Bullshit! Never lower your expectations.
if you have that iced Tea, then you have to drink another glass of water and the whole thing goes spinning out of control.. I thought you seemed to be doing pretty good at those things.. and by making those little changes you are changing the world around you. I think keeping your expectations high is good, just being able to look at the accomplishments you make and being comfortable and happy with those is the secret and knowing you can't achieve everything your set out to do.
reading that post stressed me out.
in fact, having all those expectations would probably indicate that you not only thrive on stress, your dream world would be built around stress.
If that's the case, you're probably already living your dream life -- we should all be so lucky!
...and Bill, who says you can't achieve everything you set out to do? I think one can, barring physical impairments without a workaround, or relying on other peoples free will to suit your whimsy.
There are only a few parts of the above "fantasy" that I think are particularly fantastic. I mean, you could do all those things, if you really wanted to... but who wants to? You probably wrote this post to procrastinate whatever it is that's really causing you all this stress... probably work. And whether you create it or not, stress is not something you should want in your life... at least not unless you're seriously masochistic, in my opinion.
yeah, i'm not saying i like to be stressed, or even that my "fantasy" is really how I want my life to be. i'm just pointing out that i have this twisted version of "perfection" and I allow it to stress me out. i'm trying to stop, yo!
Simply and reduce clutter--let the energy flow.
Simplify and reduce clutter--let the energy flow.
I hope I am not the only one laughing myself stupid over the irony of these last two posts by MrHockey....
oh no. you're not, Jack. I am right here with you.
That cracked me up. We all have that fantasy. I'm gonna finally get back in shape and look like Sting and write symphonies and shit. It'll never happen.
Another word for self-imposed stress, though, is ambition, and that's not all bad. I'd rather do something and be frazzled than do nothing (like so many) and be complacent.