I Turn Them Off

How do you know when it’s time to unplug? What do you do to make it happen?

Obviously!

Everyone knows that you shouldn’t leave electrical items plugged in all the time, and certainly not switched on. It can be very dangerous.

In fact it’s much safer to unplug them altogether. I know they have fuses and everything but you can’t be too careful. Who knows what a sudden massive power surge could do?

Fast and loose

Yes I’m playing fast and loose with a colloquialism but sometimes imagery helps.

You’re not an electrical item. You’re not born to be plugged in at all. You’re not born to be switched on all the time. The more you use something the faster it wears out.

Wrong focus

Life is unnatural, our societies are frenetic, we’ve gone entirely down the wrong road. Big buildings to reach the sky? Why?

This is the largest building in the world. So what. It’s boring and it’s ruining the view. Okay from the top you can see for miles but it’s all blurry after a bit.

You can lord it over others, except God is taller and higher, and you can never reach those heights. You’re still minuscule in universal terms.

“I have more money than you!”

“That must be handy. How’s the ulcer? What’s the divorce costing this time? Kids stopped fleecing you yet because they hate you as you were always working? Dog stopped barking at you when you come in because he’s trained to attack strangers?”

We’re programmed to work to make others wealthy. Blackmailed to pay for food when we could grow a lot in our own gardens for the price of a packet of seeds. If we only had time to even think about it, trouble is we’re working all hours to not be able to afford that food.

It’s called slave labour.

Right focus

That’s how you unplug. Focusing on a life that feels right for you. It’s critical.

Focus off the stuff you’re encouraged to buy to keep the economy going and make the rich, richer.

A smart phone is handy but falling into the trap of wanting the latest model is what keeps you stuck at your desk doing the job you hate.

Many of us have too many clothes. Don’t be tempted by the latest fashions – be yourself. Be unique. It’s cheaper.

You get the picture. Don’t live life as advertised to tempt you, don’t need stuff to make you happy. We’re often looking to feel better when we buy something. Feel better and you’ll avoid that trap.

So everyone has the latest and best car, gadget, gizmo, dress. So what if you’re happier and less stressed. Less pressured.

Remember that the gorgeous looking stars at premieres etc., have often borrowed the dress and jewellery. They’re selling you an image they don’t even own.

Wear clothes that make you feel like you, and for goodness sake keep them no matter the fashion. You won’t regret it.

Strategies to live unplugged

This could easily be headed “things I shouldn’t or should have done.”

• Buy the biggest house you can afford. Think of the future. How many children might you want? If you stretch yourself on your first house and stay put as long as possible, you will be ten times better off than you will if you move house over and over again.
• Be your own fashion icon. Laugh at the idea of following the pack. Snort with derision at the very suggestion you should conform. Roll your eyes at the very idea. Buy good clothes you feel great in, and keep them. Design your own wardrobe. It will save you a fortune.
• We do need mobile phones, but updates keep them current. When I’ve had to upgrade I’ve found very little change, and nothing meaningful. A smartphone camera will never be as good as an actual camera. If you like photography buy a camera. Now they’re digital they last forever.
• Understand that you’re being encouraged to spend money at every step and you’re not safe in your own home. Your TV is attacking you! Your smartphones are tempting you. Resistance is not futile it’s sanity saving.
• Use your credit card as a debit card. The points are handy but debt wipes them out. my dad had a way of budgeting that impressed my husband when I met him and he’s an accountant. It’s this simple method:
• Work out your monthly outgoings. At the beginning of each month calculate those outgoings including any insurances etc., that may be coming in. Take that figure away from your income. What you have left is all that you can spend. Yes the money may still be in the bank, but as far as you’re concerned it’s not there. It does not exist. It is spent. That way you can put exactly that much on your credit card, add know that each month you can pay the bill.
• Here’s my handy tip. Create a folder or buy one. Have a section for every month. When you take out insurances etc., file the reminders under the month they’re due. If you have loans do the save with them. Add in notes about birthdays, road tax. Then each month look in that section and you’ll know exactly what’s coming up and when.
• Save money! There are always unexpected bills.
• Remember Confucius “If you do with that you live you will never do a day’s work in your life.”
• Do not suffer fools gladly, in fact don’t suffer fools at all. Walk politely but firmly away. The treatment you allow will define your life. Choosing to stay and be hurt makes no sense whatsoever. You can’t mend what someone else thinks isn’t broken. Trust me on this, I wasted 17 years of my life doing ‘the right thing’. I’m right.
• Do some sort of meditative practice. Whatever works for you. Meditating, yoga, dancing, running, cleaning the house. Unbelievable as it is I’ve known people who can relax whilst cleaning an oven. The mood needs to rest.
• Water, good food, sleep. Fun!
• Watch what you watch and read. Connect constantly to life’s problems and that’s all you’ll think about.

So…

I’m sure many people on here will have given you great ideas for relaxing, read them all! It’s invaluable advice.

You may find people who like parachute jumping to trade their minds off things, it’s only fair to issue a health warning that extreme sports people may be crazy 🤣, even so keep reading. You may not have found what unplugs you yet.

What unplugs me is visualisation. I’ll do a separate blog.

What I wanted to do was to offer ideas as to why we’re not relaxed and suggestions on how to eradicate lack of relaxation from our lives by making good decisions.

Ultimately it’s your choices that create stress, or remove it.

I know that many people are struggling through no fault of their own, believe me I feel for you, and the ideas I’ve suggested are not offered thoughtlessly. There are things it’s too late for me to do. Like staying in a great house for years. Moving once at retirement. It would have been financially better if my husband had worked away.

I too have gone down wrong roads. But maybe something I’ve written will help a bit, or the ideas can be used to protect the younger generation. This way of society cannot continue.

Best Love

Happy Friday

Find solutions

Live unplugged

Deb xx