If you watch Oprah, or have gone to any of the popular bookstores lately, chances are you have heard of Eckhart Tolle’s book, “A New Earth.” I’ll have to admit, I haven’t yet read through the entire book, but one quote that really stood out for me was this one. Some people might read this and disagree with it- how can life not be serious with Cancer, AIDS, murders, homelessness rampant on our Earth? Well the truth is life can be hard, but it can also be a lot easier than we make it at times.
The other day I had a mini-breakdown, as I was trying to juggle multiple projects, calling clients sending emails and freaking out when the internet was off for 5 seconds. You know those blimps that adorn the sky with little messages reminding you how great Budlight is or the tire sale at goodyear? That’s sort of what happened to me at that moment, as this quote “Life isn’t as serious as my mind makes it out to me” scrolled through my mind, and distracted me from all other concerns.
I took a break for lunch and on my way saw a demographic of people living true to this quote- children. Two little girls were squealing with happiness as they raced their pink tricycles down the sidewalk. A little boy looked up at me with pure delight as he showed off his lego creation, as his little brother played happily on the lawn. Was I sensing a pattern here? Have we as adults due to all of our responsibilities and concerns forgot to have fun once in awhile?
I went back to work with a new mindset. Of course, I am an adult now with a job, that thankfully allows me to eat, pay rent and afford medical bills, but perhaps the email I was stressing over before was not as serious as I was making it. If I didn’t send it in 5 minutes, I wasn’t going to be fired, the client would most likely understand, and my life certainly would not be over. This quote has sort of turned into a mantra for me that I tell myself daily. I think a lot of us go through life with our faces staring at the computer intently, feverishly typing emails and spreadsheets, and silently stressing over everything that needs to be done in a short amount of time. Yes, our jobs our important and we should do the best work we can to reflect on ourselves and the companies. However, sometimes we have to step back and realize that life is temporary and we are only humans capable of so much. It’s okay to laugh once in awhile, go out with friends, have a great time and downright enjoy life!
So next time you feel nervous because you won’t be able to return the email on your blackberry on time, think of this quote and remember that maybe it’s not as serious as you think it is. As for who made it to finish line first in the tricycle race? Now that’s serious…
