Post emotional trauma, almost?

[Hanalei]

Not sure if this is where I should post this, but I'm curious to know your thoughts. I've kind of been at a crossroads with my career for a couple of months, now - sort of knowing what I want to do, but having no idea. There's been a lot of external things going on that's caused everyone in my family to be overly stressed for several weeks, since we started renovating our main bathroom. Long story short, the other day, I pretty much went through emotional heck - tears, frustration, arguments, deep thought, stress, the whole thing. It was career related. What I pretty much decided on doing is something that has been a very fun hobby for me for white some time, and I absolutely love this particular hobby. Ever since that day, it's like my body has been in recovery mode. The last 2 days, I didn't want to do anything related to this hobby. I tried to eliminate all sound, becuase I just couldn't handle it. I couldn't exercise. My body quite plainly told me that it wasn't going to do anything except veg out on the couch and not think about anything. The day after the intense emotional trauma was incredibly stressful, as well, for other reasons.

Today, it's not as bad. I still really don't feel like doing this hobby today, even though I feel liek I need to. I just don't want to right now. It literally feels like I went through a trauma and my body is requesting several days of complete vacation from everything. The room we are remodeling is in the health center of our house when it comes to the feng shui bagua map. It's nearly done. I'd be curious to know other people's thoughts on why my body feels this way? How long do I take a break from this hobby? When do I know it's okay to start again?

I experience a lot of very stressful emotions due to the particular way my mind works and so I feel how you describe maybe twice a week during the winter and once a month in the summer.

The most important thing for me during these times is not stressing yourself out for being stressed. don't spend hours thinking about the fact that you feel so horrible or even how to get over it. Try go out for a drive, walk somewhere you've not been, go out for a night and just try smash out the cobwebs with some fun.

It's kind of like when someone dumps you. Initially it's horrible that you feel so down, but then you kind of feel a sense of liberation. This is your time off, introverted time and as I'd say, you are in 'hibernation mode' and there's nothing wrong with that.

Do you have any techniques for creating happiness or relaxing such as meditation?

[Hanalei]

I've tried meditation, and I don't know if I'm just too impatient or not doing it right or what, but honestly, after sitting quietly for more than like 5 minutes, I start getting bored and it gets really hard to keep thoughts out of my head. I try to just relax and listen to relaxation CD's (rain, ocean waves, bells, etc), but I don't do it that often. I've kind of felt a little better each day since then, but I'm not back to normal, and I'd really like to be...

[Mr Interesting]

All I can say is you'll eventually find the hobby becoming your life work and that's a good thing just that try and keep it such that it doesn't cede into being a job too quickly.

But then again that's all part of finding our own Love isn't it? Taking our loves out into the world, having the world try and make us do it their way, and then findin' it within ourselves to re-estalish our boundaries. So even then while it's about what we do that counts it's also completely beside the point because it's often how we do it that really counts.

Don't let your hobby become the enemy to rally all the reasons why you shouldn't do it. It's just a hobby that could turn into a lifestyle... cherish it for the pointer that it is but what it's pointing at is what really counts.

[Hanalei]

So... are you saying I should just kind of take it slowly and wait until I really want to do it, and not force myself into doing it becuase I feel like I should? (I want to do it... but I really don't feel like it the last few days. It's something I generally do every day or so, just because I love it.) There's a goal I need to get to that's kind of timed (next few months), but to me, it kind of feels like the past week has been so overwhelming that my mind just needs a break from everything. When I read clips about other people who are successful in what I'm currently doing as a hobby, but would like to turn into a career, I feel little stabs of... not jealously, but like I'm behind and not doing enough to catch up. But my body is telling me "no, not today..."

[Gem]

Originally Posted by Hanalei

So... are you saying I should just kind of take it slowly and wait until I really want to do it, and not force myself into doing it becuase I feel like I should? (I want to do it... but I really don't feel like it the last few days. It's something I generally do every day or so, just because I love it.) There's a goal I need to get to that's kind of timed (next few months), but to me, it kind of feels like the past week has been so overwhelming that my mind just needs a break from everything. When I read clips about other people who are successful in what I'm currently doing as a hobby, but would like to turn into a career, I feel little stabs of... not jealously, but like I'm behind and not doing enough to catch up. But my body is telling me "no, not today..."

sometimes our environment isn't conducive to doing just as we want and othertimes there are interpersonal issues that feel repressing and really there are many things that 'get in the way' so to speak, and perhaps it's time to 'clear the air' a bit.

[Baile]

Originally Posted by Hanalei

I've kind of felt a little better each day since then

That's how it works, so just give it time. Go for walks in nature if meditation isn't your thing. You need to do something to get out of your head Hanalei, it really does sound like you're thinking about things a bit too much. As for motivation, the body does what it loves to do, when it wants to do it. It's effortless when the time is right.

Originally Posted by Hanalei

I've tried meditation, and I don't know if I'm just too impatient or not doing it right or what, but honestly, after sitting quietly for more than like 5 minutes, I start getting bored and it gets really hard to keep thoughts out of my head. I try to just relax and listen to relaxation CD's (rain, ocean waves, bells, etc), but I don't do it that often. I've kind of felt a little better each day since then, but I'm not back to normal, and I'd really like to be...

Hi again, Hanalei. Meditation is different for everyone - it's not all sitting on a cushion and chanting "OHM" while stilling every flitting thought in your mind. Oh no, my dear - it can be much simpler than that!

Meditation can be in walking, singing, heck, even washing the dishes. How I define it is doing something gentle and menial, something done on autopilot (doesn't require a lot of thinking) to "check out" mentally for a while and then the semblance of time disappears and we just "be" - whether its in the forest, on a chair with a guitar, or by the sink with suds up to our elbows. The mind, as it's wired, likes to be occupied by something - so when that something doesn't involve applied thinking but restful observation (oh look at all the bubbles sliding down the plate, pretty pink and purple) - to me, that is meditative.

Anyhoo, I like that you are tuning in to what your body is telling you - vegging out on the couch is healthy time-out from reno projects - which can be stressful! You aren't avoiding - you are re-charging ... and that my friend is what keeps us sane (or so I see it)!

it is good to release emotion and does tend to take some rest and recuperation to get up again.

What you are describing sounds very much like your thoughts are getting the better of you. Your body is telling you one thing and thoughts are saying 'no, don't listen to body, let me control this situation'. Sometimes it's healthy to tell your mind to shut up and listen again to the quieter voices within you.

Meditation takes many different forms. If you find it difficult to relax, then going for a walk somewhere peaceful can work wonders.

If you find you're impatient to be in your new career, perhaps it is worth dreaming it up. Laying down and imagining yourself in that place, working.

Very often, once we know where we want to be, there is a path we need to walk (sometimes with personal challenges to overcome) in order to get there. When at first you don't succeed, try and try again. Keep the horizon in view and just keep walking - when the time's right, you will get there. In the meantime go with the flow, and trust life to bring you what you need along that path.

All the best with it x