By Ardenna Downing
In the Western world, we are inundated with phrases like “Time is money” and “The early bird catches the worm.” These sayings give off the impression of an endless fast paced cultural environment of “grinding” and if you wait too long opportunities can pass you by. Roberts and Karatsoreos (2021) reviewed brain body responses to stress, and have indicated that certain stressors such as unstable social environments, can lead to burnout.
Learning Your Rhythm
When we focus on the image of success, we sometimes fail to understand the importance of pacing so we don’t lose sight of ourselves in the process. Working towards success is not a race, or a sprint, it can feel more like a marathon. To be successful it’s important to take into consideration your needs, strengths, abilities, weaknesses, obstacles and realistic human capacity. When taking all of this into account, you begin to learn about your “rhythm;” your patterns that contribute to some sustainability.
Learning your rhythm takes time; it includes understanding what motivates you and contributes to optimal and impaired self while you work towards success, whatever that may be. We cannot learn our rhythm to success if we don’t take the time to slow down from time to time. When we act too quickly, we are more likely to overlook small details that can greatly contribute towards goal achievement. The truth is, if we are used to impulsive decisions influenced by anxiety and premature pressure to succeed, we may miss what is critical to our overall well-being, including a balanced nervous system.
