How Do You Unwind?

How do you unwind?

How do you de-stress?

How do you dust off the many little concerns that cling to you daily?

How do you keep your life simple?

Everyday, we go through ups and downs. Happy one moment, unhappy the next. Sometimes, from the very same cause. The same thing that made us happy suddenly make us unhappy when we change our perspective. Some other times, the ups and downs are from different causes.

Some days can entirely be ups. And some days can entirely be downs.

I have a few tricks I use to keep my downs short-lived and my ups long-lived. Some sound childish but they work. Or as my Ghanaian pals would say — Oh charley, they werk!

1. I never ever question a miracle. If something is going great for me, I don’t try to dissect it or over-analyse it. I like the way an Indian man who was a boss in an oil services company that wanted us to automate their reports explains it, when it got to the billing part he said — “Do you know the story of the goose that laid the golden eggs? Well, it goes like this. There was a farmer who had a goose that laid golden eggs. For a long time he reaped the reward of the golden eggs. Then one day he got curious and wanted to see what was inside the goose that made it lay golden eggs. Needless to say, he no longer gets golden eggs. So, Michael, don’t try to ruin all we have discussed so far.” I didn’t end up getting the project — cost issues, I suspect. But I will never forget the story. It reminds me of what Mark Twain said in his Adventures of Huckleberry Finn — one should not question a miracle.
2. I sleep when I am upset. Somehow sleep and time away from thinking helps scale down mountains and dissipate worries. I don’t try to discuss my concern away with someone in an active conversation. Rather, I do number 3 if the concern still lingers when I wake, or before I sleep if I want some advice or other perspectives.
3. I write. I blog about my big worries. It makes them look non-threatening anymore. I wish those who have suicidal thoughts know about the magic of writing — even if in a personal journal.
4. I read about others in similar situations or with similar worries. I use their experiences to unwind mine.
5. I pour myself into my work. My work gives me some therapeutic effects. It is the one space in my universe where I get lots of moral boosting wins. Those head-swelling comments and bank alerts I get do help with getting over very dark periods.

For me, unwinding is letting go of the past and the loads that weigh me down or drag me back. I like to start each day on a clean mental state. Not having worries from the day(s) past.

Sadly, going out or having discussions with friends don’t help me unwind. They just drain me and make things worse. If I am very troubled, I avoid people deliberately. I prefer to just stay by myself and sleep.

Et vous? How do you unwind?

Originally published at https://www.olafusimichael.com.