Why We Are All Stressed.
I am an optimist. A glass half full kind of guy. I think in general, that it’s a British characteristic, borne of the Blitz and Dunkirk spirit and the over-riding sense of ‘we will prevail’ that carried us through 2 World Wars. But I wonder whether that attitude is fading with the brave men and women who fought so proudly for us in those wars and still managed to ‘keep their chin up’
Whilst evolving as a nation and society, we need to remain mindful of why we are the proud nation that we are, that our Grandparents fought for our Liberty and our Freedom. Keep that in mind as our smarmy faceless Government continues to place ever more cameras on our street corners and byways and highways, desperate for Fines revenue and solely intent on developing their controlling influence over us all, this proud nation that fought bloody hard for our independence and freedom of speech and movement.
As well as the increasing surveillance, which, incidentally, was this week rubbished as a deterrent by criminals, we have been taxed by stealth very slowly yet very surely by this Labour Govt who are, shock horror, exactly the same in this respect as every other Labour Government that preceded them! Labour Governments do not change, whether they are fronted by a bloke in a donkey jacket, a ginger welsh bloke, a smarmy jug eared closet Tory or a charmless bruiser who no-one voted for..
They ALL tax you to the ‘enth degree , and in this latest guise, laugh at you while they are doing it and systematically ruining our country while they do. I don’t pretend that the Conservatives are whiter than white, we know from the expenses debacle that they are not, however we also learnt from that scandal that David Cameron dealt with his lot with some degree of decisiveness and conviction.
Anyway, I am veering off subject. My point was, is, that thanks to this Government and the way its policies have shaped our country and society today in 2009, we are all under incredible stress, whether its acute financial problems like Bankruptcy or losing your home, lack of employment or ongoing job insecurity or relationship breakdowns that inevitably occur as a result of these stresses that we are forced to endure. It isn’t all down to the Govt I grant you, greed played a large part in the inevitable house price collapse and recession that we are just beginning to slowly pull our way out of. But the framework for easy mortgages and even easier un-secured credit was made possible by this Government and its lack of jurisdiction over the FSA when it mattered. And all presided over by a PM who used to be Chancellor and who built his political career on the ‘Prudence’ ticket.
We need a release sometimes, we are all up against it and I think this is why we have road rage, trolley rage and God knows what other rage. It’s because we are under so much pressure that one little thing makes us go off at the deep end. We lose our rag over trivial stuff and are often shocked at ourselves afterwards, in the cold light of day. Shocked and embarrassed and perhaps worried about ourselves. I am not talking about cold hearted mindless thuggery and violence here, I am talking about civilised people who are being driven to distraction almost by the seemingly never-ending barrage of rules, cameras, officiousness and sheer politically correct bullshit that seems to be a hallmark of modern Britain.
I don’t think for a minute I am exaggerating. And I also think that as we become stressed, almost continually, that our mental health really does begin to suffer, and that, like high blood pressure, is a silent killer. Because at what point does your mental health become ‘scarred’ if you like? How do if you know? This is probably another post for another day and one that deserves much more attention than a passing paragraph so I’ll leave it there.
I personally believe we should all take some time for ourselves and do whatever we need to relax, and I mean make sure we do this, because it is so easy to get lost in work and stuff. We need to have this time for our own sake and for the sake of our nearest and dearest, I remember once reading a quote from Sophia Loren, when asked what her secret to keeping beautiful was, she replied that you should surround yourself with those you love and who love you as mush as you possibly can. Try it.
More next time x
Monday, 31 August 2009
Let's Start Talking!
Well hello again. As I continue to contemplate my options career –wise, or should that be search desperately for some sign from God that will tell me what I am meant to do for the rest of my life, I thought I would write about something completely different which has had me thinking for the past few days.
A while ago I signed up to start a blog, however I was unsure of what to write on this blog and equally unsure that anyone would want to read what I have to say. Not that I can’t write, but I am very conscious of the fact that if I am going to write anything it had better be good. So as my Dad would say, “if a job’s worth doing then its worth doing properly”
I am just going to write and hope to God that you like it, I will either get completely ignored or will elicit feedback along the lines of ‘you don’t know what you’re talking about’ !! whatever as the yoof say. I was reading a thread on a forum the other day about relationships, I think the title was ‘would you or wouldn’t you?’ anyway, question was, if a complete stranger approached you in a public place, told you you were beautiful (or similar) and asked you out, would you say yes?
There was no overwhelming majority either way but enough people said no they would run a mile, wouldn’t even acknowledge said person, think they were a nutter etc.. which got me thinking why? Why are we all so afraid of each other? Sure we have to be careful, the person who wrote this thread did say it was in a public place, but just because someone approaches you, pays you a compliment and asks you if they can buy you a coffee, does that mean they are a nutter ? No it doesn’t – no more than someone who says hello at the bus stop or makes a comment in a shop.
So why are we so aghast when it happens? I speak from experience here because my parents are both Irish, and I used to go to Ireland almost every year in my school summer holidays. Over there, everyone talks to each other whether you know them or not, and more often than not you will know each other’s life history in the first 5 mins! Maybe I am exaggerating a little although I bet there’s a fair amount of it, especially in rural Ireland where we were. And maybe that last bit is a clue, the rural thing. Because it seems that in Wales, Scotland and in Northern England, people are generally perceived to be friendlier and more open to strangers than we are in the South East, certainly in the rural parts of the UK. I couldn’t say for sure what its like In Edinburgh or Glasgow or Cardiff, but there is that big city culture where you’re surrounded by lots of people and yet they don’t talk to each other.
The point I am making is this. If we were a bit more open to chatting to each other over here, maybe the hostility, the awkwardness, the off-ish attitude might dissolve? It isn’t prevalent everywhere but there is enough of it about for me to write this. If we were a bit more willing to chat to each other and smile more often, and be a bit friendlier toward each other we could go a long way to relieving some of the tension that exists in our society. I am not suggesting that we all walk round with effervescent smiles on our faces all the time nor that we talk incessantly to other people, more perhaps that we allow ourselves to be a little more approachable and friendly. I am convinced that we could make a really positive change to our society and our own lives if we ‘opened up’ a bit more, in fact I think you would be surprised how quickly it have an effect on us all.
If someone approached me and asked me out I would be stunned! but seriously, if I was single and they were nice enough then what’s the harm in a coffee somewhere? If they weren’t or I wasn’t single, then I’d just smile and say thanks anyway. Incidentally, the person who wrote that thread was a girl and she was the one doing the asking, and she got a yes I believe! Good luck to her, I once asked a girl out in Boots the Chemist, just like that, she said no, because she had just got engaged, and yes I believed her! Didn’t matter anyway, she had a lovely smile, and was lovely the way she said it. Some you win...
I guess thats my rant over for now, but do bear it mind, there is enough hostility and stand-offish-ness as it is, lets try and smile more often and talk to each other, you never know, you may just meet some interesting, warm people and make some new friends. Most people have got a story to tell, why not share yours over a coffee?
Ttfn x
A while ago I signed up to start a blog, however I was unsure of what to write on this blog and equally unsure that anyone would want to read what I have to say. Not that I can’t write, but I am very conscious of the fact that if I am going to write anything it had better be good. So as my Dad would say, “if a job’s worth doing then its worth doing properly”
I am just going to write and hope to God that you like it, I will either get completely ignored or will elicit feedback along the lines of ‘you don’t know what you’re talking about’ !! whatever as the yoof say. I was reading a thread on a forum the other day about relationships, I think the title was ‘would you or wouldn’t you?’ anyway, question was, if a complete stranger approached you in a public place, told you you were beautiful (or similar) and asked you out, would you say yes?
There was no overwhelming majority either way but enough people said no they would run a mile, wouldn’t even acknowledge said person, think they were a nutter etc.. which got me thinking why? Why are we all so afraid of each other? Sure we have to be careful, the person who wrote this thread did say it was in a public place, but just because someone approaches you, pays you a compliment and asks you if they can buy you a coffee, does that mean they are a nutter ? No it doesn’t – no more than someone who says hello at the bus stop or makes a comment in a shop.
So why are we so aghast when it happens? I speak from experience here because my parents are both Irish, and I used to go to Ireland almost every year in my school summer holidays. Over there, everyone talks to each other whether you know them or not, and more often than not you will know each other’s life history in the first 5 mins! Maybe I am exaggerating a little although I bet there’s a fair amount of it, especially in rural Ireland where we were. And maybe that last bit is a clue, the rural thing. Because it seems that in Wales, Scotland and in Northern England, people are generally perceived to be friendlier and more open to strangers than we are in the South East, certainly in the rural parts of the UK. I couldn’t say for sure what its like In Edinburgh or Glasgow or Cardiff, but there is that big city culture where you’re surrounded by lots of people and yet they don’t talk to each other.
The point I am making is this. If we were a bit more open to chatting to each other over here, maybe the hostility, the awkwardness, the off-ish attitude might dissolve? It isn’t prevalent everywhere but there is enough of it about for me to write this. If we were a bit more willing to chat to each other and smile more often, and be a bit friendlier toward each other we could go a long way to relieving some of the tension that exists in our society. I am not suggesting that we all walk round with effervescent smiles on our faces all the time nor that we talk incessantly to other people, more perhaps that we allow ourselves to be a little more approachable and friendly. I am convinced that we could make a really positive change to our society and our own lives if we ‘opened up’ a bit more, in fact I think you would be surprised how quickly it have an effect on us all.
If someone approached me and asked me out I would be stunned! but seriously, if I was single and they were nice enough then what’s the harm in a coffee somewhere? If they weren’t or I wasn’t single, then I’d just smile and say thanks anyway. Incidentally, the person who wrote that thread was a girl and she was the one doing the asking, and she got a yes I believe! Good luck to her, I once asked a girl out in Boots the Chemist, just like that, she said no, because she had just got engaged, and yes I believed her! Didn’t matter anyway, she had a lovely smile, and was lovely the way she said it. Some you win...
I guess thats my rant over for now, but do bear it mind, there is enough hostility and stand-offish-ness as it is, lets try and smile more often and talk to each other, you never know, you may just meet some interesting, warm people and make some new friends. Most people have got a story to tell, why not share yours over a coffee?
Ttfn x
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