Thinking Things Through
Posted by John | Filed under Thinking Things Through
Under these posts we’ll have an opportunity to share our thoughts about our journeys and our growth. These questions will make you think. You don’t have to answer right away. Noodle for a while and then come back and jot down your ideas. Or start your own notebook where you track your journey privately. I’m hoping this will help to bring clarity to those who are struggling with the question, “What do I really, really want?”
This week:
5. How much stress is in your life and what is causing it?
Take your time and really think about this. If you think you know and want to respond right away, do so. But then come back in a couple of days, re-read your response (or review your response in your notebook) and see if you want to add, subtract, change anything. This is a journey and it is one that will help you uncover what is really important to you if you take time to think.
August 31, 2010 at 8:32 am
A fair bit…but it’s good stress. The school year is starting in a week or so, and I still have a lot of prep work to do. But I’m starting to miss the kids, so it’s time to get going!
August 31, 2010 at 9:32 am
Unpredictability of income.
I am thankful that my job has become a full-time, permanent position, but my boyfriends job became much more unpredictable around the same time. With my job, I now earn $200 more each month with little extra effort, but my boyfriend is now -$200 to 500 depending on the assignments that come his way. We were just covering everything before, now we sink lower every month.
I’m so stressed that I am wondering if I really love him anymore. The only thing that holds me here is that It would hurt him deeply, both financially and emotionally. It would be like kicking him when he’s already on the ground.
August 31, 2010 at 11:28 am
Too much stress.
High stress job, but I am financially compensated at a level I could not make elsewhere (niche job, niche company).
Relationship stress, I don’t think it’s love anymore.
Family stress, just a dash.
August 31, 2010 at 2:01 pm
Stress doesn’t even begin to describe it – selling a house to move to a new city, house in new city is almost completed, two kids starting school next week (one for the first time), youngest in a new daycare (has adjusted pretty well, but has his moments), new job for me in the field of my desires but it is commission work so no regular paycheque, have to buy school supplies, still have a house to sell (I know it’s a repeat but it’s high stress), have to pack and move, and that’s when I start to let my mind wander. Once the whole moving thing is looked after and we are settled in our new house in the new city, things will die down, but at the moment I’m getting through each day knowing that things will be getting better soon.
August 31, 2010 at 11:42 pm
ooh, good question. for the most part it is good stress at the moment, the kind that keeps me motivated and willing to stretch to reach my goals.
i am very fortunate to be well-employed, and earning enough to dig out from debt. that makes me happy and the goal to pay all my debt off in another 6 months, though stressful, is of the sort that makes me want to work all that much harder.
i have an opportunity upcoming, to move in with my boyfriend and his autistic son. financially it is basically stress-free as we both would be saving a ton (okay, lots!!!) of money by combining our abodes and splitting the costs. of course we have already discussed this, and i imagine (if i have my way ha!) we will talk more about it. the difficulty of raising an autistic child frightens me to some extent; however, i am using that discomfort to educate myself, learn about his son, and expand my knowledge. he is such a wonderful sweet boy & i don’t see him being an obstacle, but an opportunity to enrich my life, his, and that of his father.
stress….welcome or otherwise, i seem to thrive when there’s a certain amount of it in my life. unfortunately, how much i can live with changes and there are days, weeks, months, years, when i’ve wondered how i was going to survive.
sharon and kat, your posts have given me much to consider. i wish you both much inner strength and peace as you search to answer a very difficult question. be brave and know you’re in my thoughts!
September 1, 2010 at 9:05 am
Stress is all I know…I have manage to keep it down to a dull roar….but it is always there…
Our beloved Brody is almost 18 now and severly autistic…only a couple more years of school left then he is home full time which is fine with us except he’ll miss the programming…(no other day program like school for these kiddies and just hanging out with a group going out in the community swimming or a movie etc is NOT his bag…never was)
Our terrific Tyson is almost 16 and although his Tubersclerosis has not turned life threatening (thank GOD!) his ADD, ODD, OCD can be quite overwhelming…for him and us…but, he has finally made some friends (he had NO friends for the first 12 years of his life…NONE…never a birthday party, sleepover…NOTHING!…soooo heartbreaking)…so things are calming a bit for him…but it’s still walking on eggshells…
My huggable hubby of 22years is quite ill…things are going from bad to worse…
We make the best of it all but it can be difficult to find the sunshine in this crap storm of life…
I do have a great job that I love going to…and in 2006 I started the committment of going to Holland every 2 years…I had my 2010 trip and can’t wait for 2012…
My husband and boys are indeed the biggest blessing I have ever had…these challenges have made me stronger, kinder, more patient and much more tolerant…but hey, now that I am a better person I wouldn’t mind them all being cured…LOL…ah, if I didn’t have my weird sense of humour I really would be doomed!
Have a great day y’all…keep on keeping on!!!!!!!!
September 2, 2010 at 8:34 pm
My biggest stressors are always seeing someone else under stress — I have a really hard time with it. I hate seeing someone getting stressed over an issue that they do nothing about. I understand that there are some things that one is limited on changing (ie: illness), but for the rest of it, finances, children, whatever, you usually have options…. My coworker is driving me crazy with all her complaints and tears from money to her children’s attitudes to her weight to how she perceives people are treating her… today, she fell. I realize she was hurt, but, when an hour passed, and she’s still sitting there crying, but says she won’t go to a clinic, or do anything about it, well, SUCK IT UP! I want to yell, YOU’RE 55+ years old, not a child! I can’t make it better for you!
Same thing as to when my DH starts cursing because he dropped something, or something doesn’t work on the first try, whatever… IT’S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD! My blood pressure rises as he swears over something trivial, and I start thinking it’s my fault (which, I know in theory, it’s not)…
September 4, 2010 at 6:29 pm
There’s not a great deal of stress in my life. Whatever is there is caused by my uncertainty. Once I make decisions about what I want, life gets easier.
September 9, 2010 at 11:18 pm
my debt! and trying to figure out how i am going to pay for my wedding in july. its small and we are getting really good deals but i dont know if it will work out.
i have an indeterminate job with the government so i am guarrentteed a job for life. so i have a steady and secure income. my hubby-to-be is an electrician at small company that is done to 3 guys. his hours flex. i always worry. i wish i could just relax