Re-Boot As Needed

Has your life ever gotten so overwhelming that you could not process quickly enough to keep yourself on track. Things start going wrong. You start making mistakes. You lose things that are important. Your late for appointments. You can't keep up with emails. Many people are waiting for your answer and you haven't even had time to think about the question.

In a conversation with a friend earlier this week, he was describing his life situation to be in this state of overwhelm. He is doing the best he can to keep up, while new and even more challenging situations continue to be thrown at him to handle, while other things on his list are still on hold. He recognized that he needed a break to regain balance and get his life running more smoothly again. His description of this state is to re-boot his life.

We know what it's like when our computers are not running smoothly. Often times these little machines we rely on so greatly get overwhelmed with information and the system seems to slow down, or doesn't respond to our commands.

When my computer is behaving this way, I often continue to hit different keys, trying to get it to wake up and do the job I want it to perform. Many times, my impatience with it only makes the situation worse.

Eventually, I give up and re-boot. Miraculously as the computer re-boots, even after a short rest, things are running smoothly again. The processing is once again a prompt response to commands. It operates predictably and efficiently.

Re-booting in your life can work the same way. When we power down and rest while becoming still and quiet, all that seems to be in chaos can settle in to some sort of order. Our fast moving minds quiet so that we can remember what is really important. A feeling of peace replaces overwhelm and fear. As our perspective shifts, we can regain a sense of calmness as we handle the items on our to-do lists with a clearer mind.

The next time you find yourself not processing life quickly enough, rather than forcing yourself to continue to perform by pushing harder, I suggest you re-boot. When you start up again, I bet you'll be better able to meet life as it comes.