Relief Valve
“A relief valve or pressure relief valve is a type of safety valve used to control or limit the pressure in a system; pressure might otherwise build up and create a process upset, instrument or equipment failure, or fire.”
Life can be filled with various forms of pressure, whether that be family, friends, work or society. How we manage that pressure can impact our relationships, health, emotions and many other aspects of our wellbeing.

Where does the this pressure come from? I’ve reflected that a lot of my own comes from my sense of worth and value. I get tension from my thoughts, the way I feel, and the things i do. I’m beginning to accept that i must return to my rules for living, because many of my pressures and stresses are self inflicted. Much of the negativity is circulating in my own mind and spirit. Through awareness and recognising the signs and symptoms, I can start to address the issues and gain better self management. There is a reality (and likelihood), that pressure will return in one form or another, so it’s important I know what I can change and what I must let go of. Popularised by Alcoholics Anonymous, the Serenity Prayer written by Reinhold Niebuhr captures many truths whether religious, battling addiction or neither.
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.

Letting out the Fizz
If the body is a vessel, then letting out the fizz of my bottle is very needed on a regular basis. At one point or another it’s happened to us all — we’ve bought a bottle of fizzy pop or water, it’s been in a bag and it’s been bouncing around. We are just in such a rush, or we’re so thirsty that we don’t really pay attention.
Twist off the lid…then boom! The liquid is everywhere. In my case, I’ll usually have a fresh white tee on, or something smart. Plus it’s probably fizzy pop not water, so it’s a mess, sticky, and try as i might to put the lid back on it’s ready to late. Fizzy pop is our emotions. For the most part we might have them contained, but sometimes our emotions get agitated and they move in all different directions. If we aren’t aware, things can often start to bubble or sometimes erupt.
For myself, reflection and self awareness are the keys to avoiding the explosions. Regularly I try and let out a bit of the fizz. I utilize my relief valve as part of my self care and maintenance. How??? Well for me that means training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) — 2 to 3 times a week. It means a couple games of FIFA on the Playstation. Listening to music, sharing my worries with close friends & family, and at my work getting supervision. The fizz is unavoidable, its the build up of pressure, it’s growth. I accept that it is inevitable, so I need to ensure I let out a bit of those feelings and emotions regularly. It helps me to function and allows me to feel free, it lets me breathe.

Like most things, there are often two (or more) sides to the story. So when i’m feeling stressed, i try to remind myself that when I’m under pressure, it’s an opportunity to show my true potential.
Pressure makes diamonds
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Peacefully 🌬
