Sometimes we are faced with important life choices: Stay or leave, continue or re-strategise, speak up or stay silent, be courageous or not. Often, we think of reasons not to deviate from where we currently are, but what tends to get forgotten is the price that you pay for continuing with the status quo. And, this price may be high when it comes to our emotional wellbeing.
Recognising the price
A not so good situation can quickly come to be viewed as ‘normal’ if we are not careful. We might begin to tolerate abusive bosses, being constantly overworked and even having unsupportive friends. Recognising the emotional and psychological price that we pay for allowing ourselves to be in such environments is then crucial.
This can be unfamiliar territory if we have been coping by focusing on the positives. Real awareness of the state of affairs is the starting point and this requires a self-inquiry into what is going on in your world. Ask yourself:
How do I feel about the current situation?- What impact is it having on my physical and emotional wellbeing?
- Is it a price really worth paying?
- What alternatives do I have?
- How would things be different for me if I changed?
- Who/what can support me to change?
If you do find yourself saying “oh, that’s just the way things are”, in the face of overwhelming evidence of a high price, perhaps it is time to challenge this view. Is it really just the way things are? Even if they are now, perhaps they don’t need to be in the future.
Final thoughts
In the end, only you can decide what’s right for you. Whichever course of action (or inaction) you choose, recognising the impact of your environment on your emotional wellbeing is fundamental. And, if it turns out to be highly adverse, ask yourself if it is really a price worth paying?
Find out more about Harsha’s work
Recent Comments