There is great comfort in facts and figures. There is uncertainty in the unknown, which often elicits apprehension. In stress management circles this is also known as “the fear of the unknown.” But facts change (e.g., the world is flat, the world is round, there is global warming, there isn’t global warming). And people can use facts to their advantage…even if the facts are wrong! Taking refuge in hard and fast structures, rules and dogma may be good at times and in fact, even necessary. However, at some point life calls us to move forward. Life cannot be lived under a bushel. In times of stress people often head for facts, figures and dogma because these offer security. They also act as blinders to the bigger picture of life. As the expression goes, “Ships are safe in port, but that’s not what ships are built for.”
• Stress Tip for the Day:
It may seem like a tall order to keep an open mind in times of stress, but an open mind is what often leads you out of a corner that you paint yourself in. Step outside yourself and take a look at things from a different perspective. Quite often there is more than one right answer to a problem, yet you will never find that second (or third) right answer if you don’t step outside yourself (also known as detatching from the ego) to see the bigger picture. Learn to get comfortable with a little gray in between the black and white.
• Links Worth Noting:
Jayne Poynter spent two years in Biosphere 2. This lecture highlights her experiences and it make for some fascinating viewing. Enjoy!
http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/573=
• Photo of the Day:
This photo was taken an hour after sunset in the arctic circle of Ilulissat, Greenland during the month of early August this year. It never really got much darker than this all night long.
• Quote for the Day:
“Ships are safe in port but that’s not what ships are made for.”
—often attributed to William Shedd
Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D. is an internationally renowned expert in the fields of stress management, mind-body-spirit healing and stress and human spirituality. He is the author of over 10 books including the bestsellers, Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water, Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward, The Art of Calm, Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart and Managing Stress (6E). He can be reached through his website:www.brianlukeseaward.net
© Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D.
