Breaking Point

[kelowna]

Been here before. It is familiar ground. I was younger then so with youth there was more hope.

With age I seemed to just feel resigned.

What do you do when you really have no idea what to do? When you are spiraling all alone?

Comments

[zenmaster]

When I don't know which way to go, what I do is backtrack until I can feel the path under me again, and know that it's a good path for me. Then I can move forward. It works for me.

[kelowna]

Good idea.

[vicar]

I do not have, or allow myself to have, that sort of feeling. It's not productive.

Also, what you say is too vague to generate a meaningful response. The way I read it - it seems like I have to feel sorry for myself to respond to the question. If I felt that way I'd be rational and realize I was not being realistic.

When things feel hopeless,
* I try to be objective and remember how much worse things were
* I look at my portfolio and realize I've done pretty well with meager resources
* I take responsibility for the choices I've made, and the predictable outcome ranges for my choices
* Drink to change my mood and hide my emotions alone until I can pull my head out of my ass and make a public appearance again

[kelowna]

I try. I meditate. I refocus and the mind drifts back. I scream outloud at myself and yank the mind back. Then it goes off again.

My mind is pretty persistent.

But I do think of how much worse things can be.

I don't have a portfolio. The only thing I have is some pretty wild life stories.

I want to take responsibility but the instablity makes me feels as if I'm not the one making the choices.

And, yes, I hide for days on end and want to pull my head out of my ass and make a public appearence but... there isn't much locally I want to do :/

--k

[vicar]

Wild stories are a portfolio - you can even ignore the bad and focus on the better shiney objects.

Become a control freak and relish the results.

At least if you can't pull your head out of the bun of your ass-burger, you'll be really good at yoga!

[moksha]

> I try. I meditate. I refocus and the mind drifts back. I scream outloud at myself and yank the mind back. Then it goes off again.

meditation works best if you do not scream at yourself and yank the mind back, but instead just bring it gently and non-judgmentally back to the object of your meditation (the breath or whatever). the operative word is 'equanimity'. when undesirable thoughts intrude, just dispassionately make a brief mental note (one or two words) to acknowledge the event, and then gently go back to concentrating. not too tight, not too slack.

[cobwellac]

I'm with you. You're definitely spiraling all alone; I mean, certainly your spiral is your own, but many of us are floundering, as well. So, yeah, I get it.

[cobwellac]

You're definitely spiraling all alone

Meant to say, "You're definitely not spiraling all alone"

[kelowna]

It does make me feel a bit better than I'm not alone. I wish I'd feel even better if I knew how we could all help each other.

--k