The "Rat Race" is a topic that's come up a lot in the last couple of weeks. I've heard people say that since the stay at home policies of the initial part of the pandemic, life has gone back to busy, and they don't like it!
My experience is that we're less "busy" now than before the pandemic, but because we had the enforced quiet time we're seeing a fast pace of life with fresh eyes, and questioning it.
What drives the UK to have 4 weeks of paid holiday, America only 2 and China just one? Why do we consider 9am-5pm a working day? How many extra-curricular activities means we will be liked and accepted in society? What is "enough" income?
Who decided this, and is it still suitable for the environment we currently are living in?
Begin with the end in mind
For me it all comes down to the end result we are seeking to achieve.
If we're getting negative feedback about how we are living (feeling like we are in a rat race), we need to go back to the framework that created that style of living and question whether we are living consciously and aligned with our goals and objectives, or on autopilot?
This is a personal decision. If you're not clear on your own goals and objectives, then you're following the status quo and potentially living out someone else's. When we live out someone's else's ideas of life and it doesn't fit with our own, then we're bound to get negative feedback as this is how we know something is amiss!
Many people see the negative feedback, e.g. feeling jaded, disenchanted, anxious, depressed - as a problem and try and quell those feelings with food, drugs, alcohol, exercise, gaming or social media (to name a few examples). It means that for a period of time they can keep going without the upheaval of change, but it has the downside of not addressing the problem and can result in severe addiction and dependancy, chronic ill health and breakdown of relationships.
I see negative feedback as an opportunity. Just like addressing a warning light in your car averts a bigger problem down the line, listening to your inner guidance about something is a great opportunity to explore what is important to you and explore the changes you can make to be more aligned with your truth.
How do you listen? You have to create space. You have to allow still, inward, quiet time so you can listen to your truth and take action on it.
This is why so many people make decisions on holiday. It's the eureka bath moment of when you're not focusing on the problem, the solution comes.
I've found meditation is a great time for solutions to present themselves, during a Reiki treatment, whether it's giving a treatment or receiving one or being around the horses.
Life requires a balance of doing and being.
Negative feedback shows us that we are out of balance, and the sooner we see it we can correct it.
I have spent many years operating this way and the one thing this whole process requires to work is courage.
Courage
It takes courage to be open and aware to how you are feeling, courage to decide to choose yourself over fitting in with the norm, courage to learn or outsource the skills to discover what is important to you, courage to implement the findings of your self discovery and take action and courage to stick at it when it feels strange, is initially difficult and you don't know how it will turn out.
Having trodden this path many times myself, I can support people through all stages of this journey or teach you the skills to do it for yourself.
I love helping people realise their potential.
Through my coaching packages we can explore what alignment is for you, and take action to build a pathway for you to get there.
The outcome is a happier, more successful you, one that isn't just making their own life better, but is making life better for everyone else too.