We can "dialogue" and make all the recommendations we like, but for some people, there's just no slowing down - they tend to bring on their overwhelming stressors all on their own.
Earlier this week former Saskatchewan Premier, Roy Romanow, who is now the Chair Canadian Index of Well being advisory board (I never knew there was such a thing) released a report based on facts provided from Statistics Canada, that says in a nutshell, Canadians are more pressed for time and stressed out than ever.
With rising inflation, often gone unmatched by wage hikes, tough economic times, technology that allows us to never be "out of touch" and fast paced life styles, there's no question life can be stressful, but you have to ask yourself, how much of it do we bring on ourselves?
I was out walking my dog the other day... a nice leisurely stroll we were both enjoying in spite of the fact there were dishes to do, a lawn to cut, hedges to trim and a list that goes on as far as the mind can think - but I opted for a walk. It was nice - UNTIL - I realized I left my cell phone at home. Then the mild panic sets in. What if someone is trying to get ahold of me? What if I miss a text? That's silly I think to myself, just don't worry about it. But before long I found my pace quickening and eventually I cut our nice walk short. What did we do 10 years ago, before cell phones and computers took over our lives? We lived our lives without thinking of being constantly "plugged in" - that's what we did. There were more face-to-face meetings and more "meaningful" relationships, as Romanow's report points out and unless this changes, "we have ourselves a pretty serious crisis here about the quality of life and what and how we should conduct our lives," he states. The former premier is recommending a Canadian dialogue to turn the situation around. He says more family friendly policies in the workplace are needed and people must to learn to better balance their lives. He is right. It's hard to remember a day where I haven't heard at least one person complain they are stressed and at their wits end.
For some, the situation can look dire, but we always have choices that can turn our situations around. Everybody has choices, including the person who's got the cell phone permanently attached to their ear, rushing from Point A to Point B while trying to "keep up with the Jones'." We just have to start choosing differently if we are feeling overwhelmed. And it's old saying but a good one, sometimes you just have to take time to smell the roses.
