Tag Archives: relaxation

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

You can’t always get what you want

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The external factors associated with your perception that prevention of the progress, success, or fulfillment is occurring can be very real to you, however,  letting this result in frustration is a choice.

As the Rolling Stones sang back in 1968, “You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes you find you get what you need.”  For me, this is how we can avoid frustration.  Focus on what you need, not what you want.

 Focus

Getting what you need might require a significant effort but the result will be satisfying.  Focusing on things you require should never be frustrating, just plod on until you attain what is required. Ultimately you need it so you will find a way to get it.

Separating needs and wants (both of which can seem required, essential and important) is not easy but critical to avoid frustration.  Don’t waste time on the things you want.  Just relax and let it go, cause you don’t really need it.

Fine Line

There is a fine line between needs and wants and sometimes they are inseparable.  The yardstick is basically can you survive without it.  If no it is required.  For example, we need food to live ergo it is required.

However, this is an interesting requirement because of the devil in the detail.  How much and what kind of food is required.  We have our individual wants as it relates to food and we feel a need to satisfy desire but the reality is, core sustenance is pretty basic.

Separating wants and needs can be tricky but it ultimately it makes sense to stay chill about things that are nice to have but not absolute musts.

 

 

 

 

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Inner Peace

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Although external factors strongly influence our behaviours, it is technically correct to say you are both reponsible and accountable for your behaviour.

Responsibility

This noun can be interpreted with slight variations but as it applies to an individual it is primarily about the opportunity or ability to act independently and make decisions.

Accountability

This noun has a strong relationship to responsibility.  It refers to the acknowledgment and assumption of responsibility for your actions.

Feeling Peaceful

Proactively recognizing that taking accountability for things you accept as within your sphere of responsibility puts you squarely in charge of your life.

With this level of ownership worries, annoyances and frustrations need not exist.  By deciding how to deal with external influences on your terms, inner peace is achieved.

Consider this.  Is there any point to be frustrated, worried or anxious about things in your control?  Probably not.  If they are outside your control you can’t do anything so its does not make sense to waste time on them.

So logically as long as you take accountability and control you will never be frustrated, worried or anxious, in short a constant state of inner peace.

Too Simplistic

Emotions and human behaviour realities probably lead most to conclude this is interesting logic but not practical.    Before leaping to a conclusion it might be interesting to give it a try.

The success measure is simple.  Practice personal control consistently, then ask yourself, at any point in time, how do I feel? If your answer is consistently “ relaxed and happy” , than maybe  it does work.

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Relaxing

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“Relax” is a verb refering to behaviour that results in you becoming less, tired tense or anxious.   I wonder if you avoided stress in the first place, whether relaxation activities would be required.

Relaxing can address the symptoms but eliminating the cause of tension or anxiety resolves the root cause and seems to be a more sustainable solution.

But Wait

Another consideration is whether stress has value.  If it does, eliminating stress before it occurs could create a different problem.  Perhaps the cycle of stress and relaxation in and of themselves are needed and contribute to your personal well being.

It is a kind of a circular argument, but, I like to relax.  if I was never worried or stressed out, making me tired I would have nothing to relax about.  So I need to be stressed.

With no reason to relax, I would miss this enjoyable activity.  That might stress me out.  The cycle of stress and relaxation would still proceed but in reverse.

Is there an Answer?

Stress is an important part of your life.  Eliminating stress (supposedly addressing the root cause of your tension and anxiety) is not a solution.

Embracing stress, leveraging the motivation and emotions it drives, to drive achievement and personal satisfaction is the answer.  And of course falling back on the enjoyment of just relaxing from time to time keeps everything in balance.