Why Am I Floundering?

Got everything to be thankful for but still not happy... at least, not all, or even most of the time — or even just lately?

Our lives get inordinately complex — and that’s only the exterior; the things we do. Add to this the things we are. That’ll take us to cusp of our spiritual sanity, as we push that envelope. And where we push for purpose, the envelope’s easily reached.

Mismatches

Many of us are mismatched in life, and truth be known, getting matched-up — so to speak — is the great goal of life. Yet, there are so many ways we can be matched up... matrimonially, vocationally, pastimes etc. Having everything matched up all at one time might occur but it’s unlikely to remain that way.

Many singles will want to be matched-up, whilst there are married people who’d separate if they could — their matches just not working.

Then there are those who find themselves skilled at a craft that doesn’t interest or inspire them; they’re great at what they do, but there’s no purpose to it for them. Mismatches often occur with workloads too.

Misfires

Wrong day, wrong time... it’s just a case of mistiming and the classic internal combustion engine misfire. The spark’s going off too early or too late and the fuel-air mixture’s going to waste or it’s being ignited by the exhaust.

Misfires occur in life when we feel we’re too young or too old for the things we’re into, or that the crowd we’re working with isn’t on the same wavelength. Misfires are as frustrating as they’re obvious. They can breed embarrassment.

Misnomers

Labels! Most of us can’t get away from them, whether they’re applied to us by others, or self-applied — a case of hearing a judgment from others enough times we start to believe it.

So, if we’re fighting a label — knowing it’s really not us — then why don’t we fight the easier way; ignore the label and any thought of a fight. What are labels after all? They’re about as meaningful as we make them up to be.

Beyond Mismatches, Misfires and Misnomers

It’s quite normal to flounder every now and again. Nobody has a perfectly matched, fired and labelled life.

Beyond knowing that in theory we should be thankful for everything we have, it’s a healthy practice to cut ourselves the slack of complaint, especially as tensions mount for change.

We’re all changing and, indeed, our circumstances are continually changing, as are our hearts for things as they attempt to combine the external realities with our internal desires. Within the chasm of such change there has to be times of mismatch, misfire and misnomer. As the dust settles things can be adjusted.

It comes down to having a little patience with ourselves during the upheaval of change; because the floundering feeling isn’t going away overnight.

It’s a healthy thing to ask, “Why am I floundering?” if we are. It’s a good thing to wrangle with the tension that mounts — however painful it might be.

Let it have a voice!

© 2011 S. J. Wickham.

Graphic Credit: Michael Mucci.