Inhale or Exhale: What’s Your Problem?

To live in this life, well, we need to breathe... in, out... in, out. No brainer?

Seems simple doesn’t it? Yet, most people in this life refuse to breathe properly. I know this because I’ve had the problem numerous times, and you can’t be much different to me, surely! Physical subsistence relies quite heavily on breathing and in a physical sense, of course, we do it. But, in another more metaphorical sense entirely people do, at times, forget to breathe properly.

There are those who breathe in well, but don’t breathe out effectively.

They begin and they attract a lot of things and always seem busy—their lives look a tad cluttered and they always seem to be taking more on when there should be a call to say, ‘Enough, already!’

These are their own worst enemies as they are driven by a plethora of whims to the external, betraying any semblance of peace knocking on the door within. There’s never a limit to what can be achieved. But, for what though? These, as an archetype, are probably quite basically into a lot of denial—both about past frustrations and hurts not dealt with, and with the present chaos which also defines them quite poorly. Or perhaps they’re greedy or conceited.

We have no pity on the person who cannot exhale and relax, especially when they complain about their workloads.

There are those too who breathe out well, but don’t seem to breathe in effectively.

Busy exhaling and ridding their lives of any suitable meaning or responsibility, these don’t even engage for fear of commitment, involvement or ownership. They skate through life unnoticed, if that were possible. They’re intent on finding the back door and then leaving through it at the earliest, least conspicuous opportunity.

We have no pity on this person who denies their very life, and tragically, their involvement in the lives of loved ones and friends all around them.

A better balance—metaphorical inhalation and exhalation

All of life ebbs and flows. It cycles us through busy and quiet patches. If we get stressed by the workload, all we generally need to do is endure it for a short time and then the pressure does eventually subside. It’s the same when things just aren’t busy or interesting enough.

Another thing: watch your physical breathing. If you feel your life is out of balance your physical breathing might actually begin to mimic your metaphorical ‘life balance’ breathing.

A key life attitude regarding metaphorically breathing in and out—regarding our life balance, and our investments in the activities of life—is knowing when to do both.

The happiest people manage this. Their wisdom and patience to run with the flow of life blesses their very lives, and the lives of those around them. They seem “fitted” to the very time and situation they’re in, right now.

© 2009 S. J. Wickham.