Don’t you hate interruptions?
Few things are more frustrating than when you are in the middle of something important or trying to hit a deadline, and something pulls you in a different direction. It could be a ringing phone, someone popping in with a “quick question,” or even our mind straying from the task. Regardless of their origin, interruptions have a knack for destroying our focus and leaving us to regain our train of thought.
Imagine this: a family eagerly preparing for a long-awaited vacation, their excitement palpable. But their plans are abruptly halted by an unexpected visitor, a carbon monoxide alarm salesperson. This intrusion, seemingly harmless at the time, would soon turn their lives upside down.
Shortly after returning home from their vacation, they awake to a loud beeping noise from the carbon monoxide alarm. The alarm company insists they call the local fire department. Within minutes of being in the home, the fire department orders the family to evacuate. The firefighter pulls the couple aside to let them know that the levels of carbon monoxide are so high that if they had not heeded the warning, they would have been dead by morning.
Emotions As Signals
Similarly, our emotions can act as our life-saving alarm system. Every emotion clues us in that something is happening under the surface. A few weeks ago, I was stuck, struggling to focus, and unable to get anything done. Typically, I would have obsessed about my dilemma, put my nose down, and worked harder.
Instead, I chose to push pause and enjoy time with my family. I knew that if I kept at my current pace, I would probably end up in a worse place at the end of the day. I didn’t realize it then, but pushing pause was the healthiest thing I could have done.
React VS. Respond
We can either reactively act on our feelings or consciously respond to them. If I obsess and work harder, I react to my feelings instead of responding. My body was telling me I needed rest. Pushing pause allowed me to address those needs.
We need to lean in and ask questions to see what our emotions might be telling us. This practice changed my week for the better.
What are your emotions trying to tell you?
