Don’t Do What Feels Good
Why you shouldn’t lean on your emotions
It’s no mystery that we reside in a demanding and impatient society. Who can blame us? Tech has exploded so much in the past decade that you can get a 5-star gourmet meal, a golden-globe winning movie, or even a Russian wife with a few clicks in a matter of hours or minutes.
During this time of quarantining, on-demand goods and entertainment are more than ever the rage and focus. There is something plaguing my mind when it comes to impatience though: marriage. And, on another note, getting back to a normal routine! So, where do these two factors collide?
A lover and hater of busywork, I find myself searching to occupy my time with anything. From braiding how-to’s to ukulele songs to astrophysics, right now I’m looking for something, anything, to keep the wheels turning. In other words, I am looking for change. My fiancé and I have been planning to get married quite quickly in the midst of this pandemic, but lately I have wanted it quicker, even if it meant taking short cuts.
This morning, I recognized my actual craving: Something new and different. The desire for variety in my daily routine was guiding not only my thoughts, but also my heart. I found myself complaining about waiting for our siblings to fly into this intimate wedding, finding the right place to do it, and the process of going through a pastor marrying us.
The impatience and eagerness to spice things up during this thumb-dwindling time were overflowing so much that I began to grumble about things that are actually meaningful to me.
After some introspection, and a heart to heart on the backyard hammock, I realized my emotions were dictating not only my perspective, but what I cherish.
Long intro to a somewhat straightforward topic, but through this realization I found that the problem was not the waiting, the real issue was internal. My emotions during the waiting got the best of me, thus steering me to a mindset of negativity and criticism. Sound familiar?
We not only live in an impatient society but an emotionally driven one, as well. “If it feels good, do it”. Well, just 5 hours ago I felt like disregarding my siblings and valuable pre-marital counseling in order to fulfill my wants. Pretty selfish, right?
Boredom led to impatience, and impatience led to making my self-interest top priority. We have a lot of time on our hands right now. That time can either be led by the voices running through our minds or the time can be used to guide the voices. Do not rely on fleeting things like emotions. They change every day. Heck, hormones even control our sentiments! If that’s the case, I am definitely not relying on my feelings for my well-being and satisfaction.
I challenge you all to look for consistency in this inconsistent world. It’s not going to be a short process, but I think you can spare at least one Tiger King episode for the search. Give it a shot and remember to be patient through it.
©Maddy Roh
Originally published at https://www.linkedin.com.
