There seems to be a lot more detachment these days. Too many sad stories...to much stress. Perhaps what we need now more than ever is to be more understanding, compassionate, and kind?
There is an old saying called, "give yourself some slack."
The idea of Giving Yourself Some Slack means that you start with yourself! The phrase is a sailing term from late 1700s that originally meant to loosen or give slack on a sail or rope.
SLACK means to ease pressure upon situations and stop forcing a desired result.
There are a lot of factors that you can't possibly control. Being too hard on yourself is a super huge waste of time. And maybe you do that a lot. Sometimes things go wrong, and people will disappoint you. That's life!
A few weeks ago, I heard the Holy Spirit repeatedly whisper, "MAKE ROOM." Maybe we can clear out our home of excess disorder, sort out our office that may be in disarray, but mainly clean out the clutter of recurring anxiety and troubled thoughts in our mind. Maybe it is time to get rid of old mindsets. And just notice what is left now?
What if, instead of allowing our attentions to just churn up negative or judgmental attitudes, we just allow creative space to expand our thoughts.
Maybe things will never be how we imagined but what if we made room so that our thoughts could be productively unlimited?
Work on Yourself
What if we allow the Holy Spirit to convict people and we free ourselves of that responsibility?
That's why you work on yourself.
The World English Bible translates Matthew 6:25 as: "Therefore, I tell you, don't be anxious for your life: what you will eat, or what you will drink; nor yet for your body, what you will wear. Isn't life more than food, and the body more than clothing?"
Anxiety shows you where your trust is lacking, and SLACK is needed.
Perfection can never be fully achieved - it is a goal that will always be just out of your grasp.
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It is okay if you don't do something perfectly.
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Excellence is the very best you can do, not necessarily faultless.
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It is really okay if somebody else is not perfect.
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Be grateful.
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Instead of just getting a task completed, enjoy focusing and deeply experiencing the process.
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Be nice to yourself. Accept that this is where you are right now.
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Make sure what you are trying to succeed at is really what you are supposed to do! If so, set reasonable goals.
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Do what you gotta' do, and do it well – and then move on. Loosen up! Don't pre-plan what you'll say next or how to respond.
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Don't try to please other people. Comparison with others will leave it all too easy to slide down jealousy's slippery incline! Remember that you only see a very small peek into someone's life.
See what happens when you stop the preconceived perceptions and the autopilot-like reactions. Once we give ourselves open space, then we don't have to hold others to our rigorous standards – hopefully we will learn to back off and eventually give others some slack as well!
Instead of expecting others to react like we think they should, maybe we "could allow" them to be authentically who they are!! Just value others, and live our own lives as fully as possible.
Some things in life need to take priority. Whatever you do next, make ROOM to enjoy it! Be present. Just make sure that plan involves cutting yourself some slack!
Dr. Kluane Spake
