Sometimes a computer or phone freezes or for another particular reason you find that you have to restart the device. (or Pandora as is the case for me today) I think people are like that too I just can't find my restart button. Don't you just hate when that happens (with the devices and with yourself as well)? I hate feeling stuck. Being stuck gives me way to much time to think, as if I need more of that. Being stuck gives my frienemy an opportunity to find a way to sneak in (and no I'm not talking about someone who acts like your friend but is in reality an enemy though I suppose it could fit too but more about depression, anxiety, feeling overwhelmed, things like that I suppose.) I think those moods actually use those stuck moments to hack in to your system if you will. And just like how it can be a pain to get the virus removed from the device or a few restarts to get the device running correctly a person can also be like that (not saying that things like depression and anxiety are or are not ever completely removed because that's not even on par with that comparison but just making the point it can take a bit for a person dealing with those kinds of issues to get back to feeling like them again.) Granted being stuck isn't always a bad thing or somewhere you find yourself in a negative or just not fun place. Sometimes it's like when I go hiking/walking and I get so focused on getting to the destination or proving that I can make it without stopping that I don't see anything around me or realize just how much I need to stop until I'm about to fall down from exhaustion. It is in that moment where I don't think I can take another step and find a place to sit down that I remind myself to take the time to focus on the scenery, the sounds and just breath...restart if you will. Maybe that's the restart button. In those times you feel stuck it's actually a gift to give you a chance to breathe and regain focus and composure not to destroy you like some of those thoughts will have you believe. You ever notice those kinds of thoughts are like the ads on television, radio and internet and are extremely loud and are usually the ones where you can't change the channel (less likely) or have the skip ad button (more likely) or by the time you can do either the damage has been done and the thought (ad) is already almost over. Whether those thoughts are loud are whispered one thing is for certain they are the biggest liars of them all. The ones that keep you from finding that restart button, make you start doubting, try to keep you from holding on to your faith, the ones when they are defeated or quieted you don't take the victory for granted. A couple of times fairly recently and close together I saw a post on Facebook that said something along the lines of when I'm feeling (insert mood here) and people tell me to just get over it I want to hit them in the legs with a baseball bat and tell them to just walk it off. I found it funny because I imagine the majority of people have been there. It also got me thinking and this is probably so off target it could be landing in another continent but I'll write it anyway. It kind of goes back to the finding the restart button and the finally having to sit down bit you just read. The majority of the time I believe people have good intentions by saying just get over it maybe they're trying to keep you from getting to far down the hole and they think that's a rope to help. In my often times seeing things from a ridiculous amounts of sides here's where my thoughts went. Sometimes we try to get someone to get up not realizing what load they've been carrying and for how long they've been walking and that they just now got set down. They need a chance to unload some things and may I add if you are that friend that the person decided to unload a few things on don't cut them off with the whole it will get better. Sometimes they may need reminding but sometimes they just need to vent. Now you get the people that just like to dump on you by all means set your limits with those, no need of getting yourself covered in a big heap of stuff, or just don't get taken advantage of. Then there are times you'll find someone sitting to long, getting a bit to comfortable, which is a whole other level of being stuck. It's these times that you may have to pull the okay this is enough of this card because as often as people need that break and to be able to get rid of a few things they need the push, or restart since we're focusing on that, to get them going again otherwise they may not. Every person and situation is obviously different but what is the same is that we all do sometimes get stuck or forget to take a break and just need to restart. I'll end with this quote that I stumbled across and the thought of unplug and restart as many times as it takes, stop to regain your focus, faith, breath (all of the above and then some even) because there's nothing wrong with that or with how often you have to do so. It doesn't mean you're broken or not normal quite the opposite I think. With that here is the quote:
Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes...including you
- Anne Lamott
