“INSTABILITY IS THE STUFF OF LIFE”
I have sat myself down to write a newsletter many times over the past months and, as you would have gathered from my lack of contact, it hasn’t happened!!
I did start to write this some weeks ago as I was sitting in a church in Nanango listening to rehearsals for that evening’s Christmas concert. A lovely time for festive celebrations and song.
Today is the day to get this finished and out to all of you, finally.
The above quote “Instability is the stuff of life” is from psychologist and social observer Hugh Mackay’s latest book “The Way We Are – Lessons from a lifetime of listening”. (A great read!)
I was a bit taken aback when I read this. What about stable relationships and a secure family life, a steady job we go to every day and our enduring interests in life that we can count on? Aren’t those things that hold our society together and make our lives feel steady and secure providing us with a sense of peace and control?
Of course they are, but the reality is we are often resistant to change; we crave that ongoing sameness in our lives. Especially as the last few years have seen so many upheavals with the suggestion that there’s more to come.
The problem here is that the calm, stable and untroubled state we seem to covet can lead to anxious feelings, including uneasiness, edginess and finally to feelings of absolute boredom.
Too much ongoing stability lulls us into a state of complacency. It’s important to acknowledge that if we are to grow and prosper we need to accept change and work with it. We live in a world of constant change, and that will continue.
As Hugh Mackay says: “…it’s a paradox: we seem to want two apparently incompatible things at once: constancy and change.”
How to we handle this paradox? I believe we need to hang onto those things that give us stability and peace, but be open to changes that will inevitably come our way. Change is here to stay.
I’m not a great one for New Year resolutions, but I do tend to take stock at the end of each year: what has been achieved, what didn’t work so well and what are the goals I want for the coming year?
I actually ask these questions on a daily basis. If you have done “The Centre Within”, you would remember “The Life Cycle”: set a plan for the day, do the best you can that day, and at the end of the day congratulate yourself for the things well done, and give yourself correction for the things that didn’t go quite so well. A good daily practice!
I’m a great one for lists. I am working on a list for the stable things I want for the coming year. In a world of constant change it’s a good idea to remind ourselves of what is important to us in our daily life. Here are some ideas, no doubt you will come up with others.
Good health and well-being
Laughter
People you love
People who love you back
A good night’s sleep
A steady and quiet mind
Happy times that create great memories
The occasional “boring” day
A childlike curiosity
Stimulating and meaningful conversations
Beautiful sunsets
Star-gazing
Slow days reading a good book
Perhaps these are the real luxuries in life.
Lots of love and much laughter for a fabulous year ahead.
