Voices

“Don’t be trapped by dogma ~ which is living with the results of other people’s thinking.” Steve Jobs

Happy Monday!

I hope your weekend was fun and refreshing! I spent time with family celebrating my older brother’s birthday. We had so much fun listening and telling stories, eating good food, and enjoying each other’s company. There’s nothing quite as remarkable as spending time with the voices of the people you love to brighten spirits and clear minds. Happy Birthday, Dear Brother ~ I hope we have many more celebrations together!

I work with people who frequently become overwhelmed and riddled with anxiety. In my field, this is not uncommon. What I find most interesting is how our minds can grasp and run with a concept without considering its application to our own unique circumstances. Sometimes, these voices are from an outside stimulus; sometimes, they are internal voices of our own making.

Steve Jobs had an interesting take on the subject:

The word dogma’s literal meaning in Greek is something that seems true, and we often ascribe meaning to thoughts and situations based on ideals we believe to be accurate. With this quote, Mr. Jobs refers to other people’s voices, meaning concepts others create that have the power to influence our processing. Positive thoughts can elevate us, while negative ideas might quickly make us despair. Of course, the choice is ours, and sometimes, discerning what voices to believe or internalize can be problematic.

Frequently, however, it’s our own thoughts and ruminations that give us the most trouble. We can get stuck in circular thinking and create genuine questions about what to do next. This process can be the catalyst to overwhelm, and anxiety develops when we neglect to stop and be present. By this, I mean being in the present moment and critically examining the present situation with the core issues in mind. We can get caught up in the plethora of thoughts or voices in our heads and work ourselves into a frenzy at the scope of the challenge. We simply neglect or forget to break things down into manageable pieces.

An example is preparing to complete assignments, whether for work or school. When we look at the project’s magnitude, there might be a temptation to opt out of the process. Maybe it looks like finding other things to take priority over the task at hand. It might look like being too tired to begin or even too busy. We end up delaying the inevitable and then get so stressed that we’re getting dangerously close to the deadline that we work ourselves into a total panic. Sometimes, the project starts with the overwhelming knowledge that it’s massive.

Here’s where tools like wisdom and discernment enter the picture to help us downshift our anxiety. When we look at the condemning voices and dismantle them, we can use our powers of organization and understanding to break down the overwhelming thoughts into doable, bitesize pieces that can be more efficiently and effectively managed. It’s all about recognizing the distracting and debilitating voices and exchanging them for the stabilizing voices that can assist us in completing the task or process.

Scripture underscores my meaning this way:

“… incline your ear to wisdom,
And apply your heart to understanding;

Yes, if you cry out for discernment,
And lift up your voice for understanding,
If you seek her as silver,
And search for her as for hidden treasures;

Then you will understand …”  Proverbs 2:2-5a (NKJV)

Let’s spend some time challenging and examining the voices guiding us this week. When we begin to feel that overwhelming sensation that leads us down a negative or anxious path, let’s remember that even though we may have little time to spare, we have enough time to pause, take a few deep breaths, and make choices that will ensure success if we break the project down into doable pieces. Let’s eliminate some destructive voices and replace them with edifying and affirmative ones to help us achieve a better outcome!

Be Well & Be Blessed!

Lucinda