Simplifying Complexities
Whatever stress we’re dealing with in life, it’s usually not as complex as we make it out to be. Life is very orderly and it has a way it which it functions properly. Often times, when things begin to get “complex,” they are the moments we start moving too fast without engaging in the present moment effectively. Whether this is caused by our own impatience or through urging from others, we still need to be careful in giving life our full attention and not go against of conscience.
“Complexities” are usually rooted in something initially simple, although not understood properly. To explain, let’s say that someone has one embarrassing event that happens at an impressionable age and it causes emotional distress. That person may wrongly believe that they are flawed or are a less valuable person because of the embarrassment they feel. There’s two ways to look at this situation – 1) Realize that everyone makes mistakes, becomes embarrassed at some point, and it doesn’t have to define who they are, or, 2) Wrongly identify and shame themselves because of the embarrassment.
Let’s elaborate further on what happens when we follow the first type of thinking. As this person grows older and further away from the embarrassing moment, he or she may not even remember that event, however the internalized negative perception of self is still affected from the event long ago. This will cause all sorts of aggravation and potentially addictive behavior to try and counter the negative feelings that are taken in.
When a person’s subconsciously believes that they are shameful or flawed, they live in a constant state of suffering. Life begins to seem gray, work because of burden, socializing is a drag, and destructive addictions and habits may ensue. This person suffering may not even know that all of the seemingly “complex” frustrations may be rooted in just one wrongly perceived event from the past. Instead they are usually not sure where everything went wrong in so many different areas of their life. The negative filter we may take on from past events can alter how we perceive new experiences.
If we feel depressed, anxious, irritable, or have any negative manifestation, then it’s important to find the root of it and hash it out by confronting the issue in a very objective and cognitive way. Emotional stuff can take a while to work out, but once the problem is identified then the ice will start to melt and things can begin to become bright again. Sometimes we don’t know that we’re caught in bad thinking until we feel surprised with overwhelming emotion. It’s a good idea to do a self check-up at least every couple week to make sure we’re feeling good and moving in the direction we want to be moving towards.
For further related reading, please check out: The Little Things.
