Chill Out

Just exactly HOW do you “Chill Out”?

And WHEN and HOW OFTEN?

If you’re “Chilling Out” more than 45 minutes a day, better check your stress level – it may be either too much or not enough! 

While “Chilling Out” may have its place in the midst of a hassled and harried rat race, if done poorly it takes us off-the-clock from our Dreams and personal aspirations, not to mention from putting bread on the table and tackling the things that may be stressing us out, or that WILL stress us out if they don’t get done. 

And exactly WHAT is “Chilling Out” for you? 

Is it polishing off a case of beer in front of the TV every weekend?
Taking 20 cigarette / coffee breaks a day?
Surfing the internet / schmoozing with your Smart Phone?
Playing “Angry Birds” … other video games?
Taking a walk?
Commiserating with co-workers/friends/family?
Loading up on “comfort foods”?

And is your personal “Chill-Out” activity – or inactivity – a Regenerative or Degenerative engagement?  Does it re-energize you or leave you completely “wasted”?  Getting out of the line of fire in the heat of battle is sometimes necessary.  But to simply cast one’s weapons aside and allow the batteries to short-out at even the first inkling of fire puts us at a significant disadvantage in overall coping. 

Personal growth/development and advancement requires us to handle “fire” – but, even more so, to become increasingly adept at preventing fires – as we progress in our journey.  So generative and regenerative processes – along with overall capacity building – are critical and should not become completely overshadowed/negated or absorbed by “Chilling Out”.  

What do I do, personally, to “Chill Out”?  I take a walk or take a nap!   And I get 8 hours of sleep a night.  But during those processes, I’m fully engaged in problem-solving – figuring out how to prevent and put out fires.  It’s habit-forming, it helps “Beat the System”, and it works wonders!  [I also sing in various groups about 9 hours a week and regularly attend services at my home church.]  Stuff that does not positively contribute to my overall capacity or wellbeing – or to that of those who are important to me – just doesn’t deserve much attention. 

Here are some other suggestions on Chilling Out:

SIMPLIFY

"Simplicity allows the senses to rest from stimulation.”         Gunilla Norris

TURN OFF YOUR INPUT/OUTPUT CIRCUITS AND TURN ON YOUR IMAGINATION       

“The imagination needs moodling – long, inefficient, happy idling, dawdling, and puttering.” Brenda Ueland

And, as for avoiding “Trouble” …

“When I see trouble coming, I go on up ahead to meet it.”  Bernice Johnson Reagon

“Don’t waste a good ‘Chill-Out’ getting wasted.”   Quartermaster