My recent back story of which some of you are familiar with was: sell the house, move and take creative writing courses. How hard could it be? There were a large indefinite quantity of details in that plan. I am please to announce that what I started out to do, I am in the middle of, the creative writing part. I am now bouncing the ideas between purchasing a van, to travel or a small house, preferably by the sea. Maybe some other idea will bubble up, but I am taking my own advice I am about to impart to you. Read on.

Great times of upheaval are moving, divorce, death, birth, retiring. You make the decision to pull the plug on your job, house, what have you, life events of which after you have made the decision, you have little or no control over. During those times there is an urge to move fast regardless down the street of regret leading to fatigue.

WORDS OF ADVICE To my younger readership is never make major life decisions when extremely tired. There is nothing I repeat nothing that will not benefit from unplugging for 10 minutes. If anxious, angry or irritated at a state of affairs, person or event. Take a break, as little as a cup of tea before pushing the panic button. A full blown holiday might be in order when making up your mind about taking major life actions or change. Change is an upheaval in itself. 

LIFE  Comes with and has a certain amount of stress. Life is about learning your own personal limits, sticking to them and plugging in supports. Supporting structures are talking with others, getting some sleep, contemplation, mediation, exercise. I advocate putting in touchstones and the philosophy of “good enough.” Perfect is always the enemy of good. Success or mastery of little steps, well thought out, makes it easier to tolerate little setbacks. Most of us would assume that the more options we have, the better. But Schwartz cites research showing that an overabundance of choice doesn’t actually make us happier. Instead, it can leave us feeling confused, disappointed, and often paralyzed.2 Practice making choices, on small issues.

TOUCHSTONES  Are markers of where you think you might be that that keep you on the straight and narrow while looking at or in the middle of the great change. Living is an upheaval. These touchstones could while in the chaos of great change, free yourself of some but not all anxious times. Tell someone about the plan, “publishing the event” will make it “real” to you and your person to whom you are confiding. A great insight I have learned that “no attention, no retention.”

MORE ADVICE  This advice might seem to be be antithesis of what you want to do. Tension and strain accumulate both in mind and body. The bouts of fatigue accumulated over years of working in solitary pastimes and with recent selling and moving of my home. I think the thing I miss the most is my mind. Unpacking the fright and fatigue means slowing down as I advised and taking the time to look into the topic. I present it to you, my dear and gentle readers while there is time. Don’t take my word for it there are hundreds of websites dedicated to assuring my age group that memory loss does not lead to dementia. But you don’t have to take my word for it.

“Dr Ray Baker, M.D. states: “By changing how and what we think through talking therapy such as cognitive therapy, we can bring about demonstrable changes in the biochemistry of our brains – elevating serotonin levels and decreasing depression. By exercising, we reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke through altering levels of serum cholesterol and developing collateral coronary circulation while increasing brain levels of essential neurotransmitters. By continuing to use and challenge our brains, the functions and probably the corresponding structures of this most important organ are preserved.”

1. http://bodyandhealth.canada.com/channel/seniors-health/seniors-self-care/aging-well

2. TED Talk from psychologist Barry Schwartz. The talk, aptly named The Paradox of Choice, aimed to deconstruct how much affluence