Thoughts on life right now...
I was reading something that a therapist wrote, I forget where at the moment. She was saying that our thought process right now is chaotic as we try to stay within known boundaries of habit. Expecting our reactions to be the same as we’ve known, as our brain and bodies struggle with the present realities of the not known. We may have emotional reactions that seem to come from out of the blue. Periods of high energy, followed by sheer exhaustion. Forgetfulness and anxiety. A need to create some semblance of life as we have known it to create sense in a place where on varying levels we are processing the fact that nothing is as it was. Most are unprepared for what that means to daily life, to our mental and physical well being and how to adapt to realizing just how little control we really do have over our own lives. Life will never be as we have known it. We will move forward viewing through a different lens.
As a collective we are in a situation where we are all being forced to think about our lives, who and what is important as well as things like intimacy (not just sexual intimacy), connection, who we are outside of of our jobs, titles and societal attempts to pigeonhole us. How we handle loneliness, what our responsibilities are to ourselves, how that translates to others in our lives. Emotional language may be expanded to include things like anxiety, panic attacks, feelings of disconnection, fear of the unknown, vulnerability. Many will continue to try to make all of this uncertainty squeeze into their boxes of how things should be, others will have expansive thoughts around what could be, still others will question conventional so called wisdom and expertise. Shame, blame and guilt will be used to try to control those that question the ones in power who don’t really know any more than the rest of us and have their own personal agendas.
There is no playbook for this, this is a huge slap to the collective forehead of humanity to wake the fuck up, shake up how we think about things and hopefully lead to more expansive, creative thought processes that value people over corporate greed, well being over having to fit some restrictive societal dictate and a collective education that goes beyond rote learning of things that don’t actually provide room for creative, critical thinking and throwing out the damn box. The same old, same old isn’t gonna cut it, the herd mentality keeps us trapped and the patriarchal fear based model is full of shit. The government that some bitch and moan about is the same one they now expect to ride in to save them. We see how ineffectual and broken the current iteration of the republic actually is. There will be many who choose to keep their head in the sand, to believe that others need to think the way they do, that we have to keep doing things that we know because that’s the way it’s always been done. Lack mentality will push some to do all they can try to isolate themselves against any loss, regardless of the consequences. Maybe, just maybe there will be those that even with disparate backgrounds will begin to listen to each other, to be able to accept each other because of their differences and the realization that those things are what make for strength and the fear keeps us weak. To respect rather than judge and dismiss. We have the choice at the crossroads to move beyond our own self and societal imposed standards to grow into a better place, an expansive place. What a damn concept that is.
The alternative is to continue to try to force the same old shit in the same old ways that created the shitstorm we presently find ourselves. Not everyone is going to be able to get there at the same time as the harsh reality of the pendulum swings back from centuries of masculine energy and the last grasping by some to hold onto their power by any means necessary. Humanity has a big choice to make, will we chose love or fear.
And for those of you that need a little off kilter humor, in the words of Tallahassee in Zombieland, “it’s time to nut up or shut up”. I would offer that maybe this requires a tad more of “ovary up” at this particular juncture in time.
And in the words of Brene’ Brown: “stay awkward, brave and kind”
peace
Sherry