Just Keep Swimming . . .

Do you ever have moments in your life when you feel it's all getting a little bit too much? You know, when someone you love and trust says something that is hurtful and confusing, or when school/uni/work or whatever gets too stressful and busy, or even when everything just feels as though it's all going wrong?

I have plenty of them! We all have moments like this! Maybe not everyday. Maybe everyday. But we all have them at some point.

For example, for the past two years of my university degree, my stress limits have soared! Assignment after confusing assignment always seem to turn me into a ball of worry! But what's the point in worrying and stressing? At the end of all the assignments, pointless directed tasks and repetitive readings I will have a degree (hopefully anyway). Hard work pays off in the end. Putting in the work now will provide me with more opportunities later on. I don't necessarily know whether teaching is the career I want to have for the rest of my life, or if I want to take a completely different career path. But I do know that having my degree will help me along the way. And that puts things into perspective a little bit.

A metaphor that has spoken volumes to me over the years is that of a painting. Looking at a painting  closely means it is difficult to see it as a whole. Stepping further away gives a whole new perspective - it shows the bigger picture. Isn't this the same for life in general? When we are in the thick of a situation, it's hard to understand why we are gong through it, or what the purpose of it may be. But as life carries on ticking by, perhaps more light is shed as to why we were in that situation. It's always easier to look back at an event than it is to go through it. But that's the point of hindsight. You can only understand a situation once you have been through it and come out the other side.

Stress only leads to more stress and often, at least for me, procrastination (a relative of mine once told me that I put the 'pro' in procrastination - it's true!). But that does not benefit us in any way at all! It only makes matters worse!

We all have our own ways of dealing with stress and issues. For me personally, my faith has always been pivotal. My gran used to have a plaque that read: "Don't worry about anything, instead pray about everything. Tell God your needs and don't forget to thank Him for His answers." Jokingly, we used to add on that God would be up all night anyway, but this is something that has stayed with me. I also lean on my family quite a lot. I am always ranting about the latest thing that is bugging me with teaching and my degree, or whatever it is that has irritated me. And, I also spend a large amount of my time watching hockey games! :) All these things helps me gain perspective and relax a little. We all need to find what helps us to decompress.

Whatever you are going through, there is life out there. It may not be obvious in the moment you are going through something painful or difficult, but "just keep swimming". Eventually, you will see the bigger picture and be able to put it down to a learning experience. Difficult situations often make us better people. they make us stronger. Once you get through something, there is so much left to accomplish and achieve.

Erin x

(thereislifeoutthere123@gmail.com)