THE NEED FOR CONTROL

There is a need for control. We live in a fast-paced life where there are a zillion decisions to make and, apparently, not enough time to think them through. On a continuum, we’re slapped with offers that require us to make an on-the-spot decision or we lose them. So, there is hardly any time to go in and think anything through completely. More and more, young people are caught up in the quagmire of the consequences of their poor decision; and all because we’ve been sold on that lie that time is running and we better do something quick if we want to make this money. This is not the post to talk about the rise of cyber-crimes, Ponzi schemes, and every other one of the get-rich-quick acts out there. In this one, I will just emphasize the need for a breather.

On one fine morning, three years ago, I woke up in the bored-out-of-my-mind, tired-of-this-life, i-need-a-break-from-the-usual, mode. I was feeling very lethargic; reading wasn’t curing me; movies weren’t the deal; writing out my thoughts, was a therapy I didn’t know so much about then, and I was too lazy to take a clarifying walk outside. As the day wore on, I became more restless. My hands were screaming; I needed to do something. Crazy jeans were already a thing as at that 2016 and I had this fine pair of jeans trousers—no, it wasn’t crazy yet. As the urge to do something-out-of-the-usual built on, I remembered I owned a razor blade and it was lying peacefully in my purse. I thought of the blade and the jeans, and I stood up and got to work. Some ten minutes later, my ripped jeans stared back at me. In that moment, I felt alive. Yes! I had done something out-of-the-normal; this had to be it. I got out of the cloth I was wearing, and changed into it. I caught a few stares and I heard a few comments but I wasn’t exactly bothered. About a month later, I had converted my crazy jeans into a fine three-quarter shorts. The excitement had worn out and I was no more intrigued by it. I ended up mourning the loss of that very fine trouser.

The need for control

We live in a world that tells us to just-do-it! If it makes you happy, do it. Yeah, you only live once, why not just indulge. So we settle on quick fixes and transient happy moments, and live each day on such lowing highs. But is that really the fix to it? You’ll find that answer when you answer this question: how do you feel after such moments? Those spur of the moment decisions; hope they don’t leave a bitter after-taste?

I love the urgency of the just-do-it movement but I redefine it this way: it’s not you, acting without caution; it’s a cry against procrastination. By all means, weigh your options before you act.
The just-do-what-makes-you-happy mode doesn’t take into consideration the fact that what makes you happy varies continually; what makes you happy today may not do so tomorrow.

There is a need for control.

When you take that breather:
1. You don’t give in to every trend
2. You don’t act on every whim
3. You exercise control in order to avoid the avoidable pit-falls
4. You make better choices
5. You act in a way that pleases Abba

When you realize that your life is a sum of every choice and there’s no action without repercussions, you’d want to exercise control.

When do you take a breather?
1. When the choice is unclear
2. When you’re tempted to act to impress
3. When you’re under pressure

I wouldn’t want to overlabour this topic, you know?

What are your thoughts?

Remember you’re light, shine!