Tomorrow is Another Day
Have you ever had one of those days when it seems nothing is going right, when life feels like a continual struggle? The glass appears half-empty and you are wearing those "ain't it awful glasses?" All you can see is what's not working?Shhhh ... don't tell anyone, but in times like these, I want to crawl under the covers, curl up in a fetal position and suck my thumb or just rail against the world and stay enveloped in self-pity.I had one of those days recently. At some point in my life, I learned to recognize the symptoms and and how to cope. My historical coping strategy was to realize that other's have it far worse than I. However, that only serves to make me feel guilty for feeling bad.What works for me is to take a big long break. Over and over, I have found that working longer and harder makes things worse.I'll never forget the story of my friend, Laura who was suffering financially. She was afraid she'd lose her home and everything she tried, fell flat. Business was slow. Laura was alone and she wanted to meet someone--a special someone.Her response was to take the last of her money and visit a friend in Paris, to take a long deserved holiday. Of course, this seems like a crazy thing to do when your finances are rocky. But working harder was getting her nowhere. When she came back from this wonderful holiday, opportunities began to open up. Work became plentiful and she was able to keep her house. She is now quite happily married too.Sometimes a change of scenery to offer a change in perspective or to shift your energy, is just what's needed. Often, we sit in front of the computer and just work longer hours--for diminishing returns.
My strategy is a version of Laura's. When I spend time in nature and in the company of good friends, I feel replenished and so much better. I know I need to take a break--sometimes a few hours, sometimes a day ...My friends allow me to vent so I can get it out of my system. Exercising gives me energy, nature helps me see the wonders of life and puts me back into a state of awe. It takes me out of myself so I see the bigger picture ... the majesty of life and the world around me. Nature teaches me about resilience, strength, creativity, simplicity, and mystery ...I come back to myself and hear my deceased dad's words in my head, "honey, tomorrow's another day."And so it is. This is what I have learned, over and over.
It is a common experience that a problem difficult at night is resolved in the morning after the committee of sleep has worked on it. - John Steinbeck
On this occasion, I returned home to find some important emails waiting for me with good news. The next morning, calls came in that helped resolve several problems I faced. My mood lifted. Those vexing problems of yesterday began to evaporate. The sun came out and I stood on my terrace facing the mountains and soaked in the warmth of the sun. It was a good day.When I hear that people commit suicide, I think, "but if only they had waited another day." Life is such a mystery and we never know what wonders or what special helpers are just around the corner waiting for us, if only we ask for help.Thank you dad, yes, tomorrow is another day.