Ready to get back to 'Normal' soon?
The hope has been raised. Soon, we might be in a situation to all go back to a sense of Normal. To most, it will feel like a great relief after a period of worries, stress, bereavement, social distancing, missing human connections and so much more.
After that brief period of relief, normal will be back at work. And living fully again.
Yet, the ESRI (Economic & Social Research Institute) found that stress at work levels in Ireland doubled between 2010 & 2015. And research by international human resources consultancy Mercer shows that 82% of those questioned here said they face increased stress at work.
Paying those bills comes with a price. Your immune system takes a beating from all those stress responses. Your mental health suffers. Your relationships break down. You indulge in things that allow you to escape reality.
That was our Normal.
But 'Abnormal' doesn't pay the bills!
'In the real world, you can't just do what you love and expect to get paid enough to cover the bills. And if you do, you will have to work so hard it won't be worth the hassle. Most of us will have to do jobs we are not excited about. It gets us to live a normal life.'
I have heard this phrase in many forms and each time I hear it, I agree. That is indeed the reality for most people right now.
Is it worth just discovering your 'Abnormal'?
Here are some side effects myself and some of the people I have worked with have endured since going on a discovery tour of our loves, passions, and joys:
-Personally, I am over 10 years GP free. As in I don't have a GP nor have I had the need to visit one. And I have run 124 Marathons in that time. Because running is one of those joys.
-Using the time they spent escaping from the real world through TV, passive sports, social media etc... they started pursuing their passions 1 hour at a time and have improved mental health, physical health.
-Clients who started engaging with their loves, passions, and joys have since left their jobs and started working for themselves or in collaboration with others. Some quicker than others yet most do so in the time needed to get there.
-Better relationships and a new circle of friends with common interests.
-Improved sleep patterns.
-Healthier lifestyle.
These are just a few of the benefits! There are as many as there are individuals who tried this.
I just wanted to ask you two easy questions:
Would it be worth your while trying to rediscover your loves, passions, and joys? And finding fun ways to start engaging with them?
If, like so many others the answer is Yes, I have good news for you.
You can. You are worth it. You deserve it. Trust yourself. Allow yourself that hope.
Love, Patte xxx
