The Inability To Relax

[lupestripe]

I think I am going stir-crazy. Two days of eating, drinking and watching TV would make most people relaxed and contented. Unfortunately, I just get restless and pine for something to do. It's something that has always been incumbent in my psyche - I need to be doing things to feel I have achieved stuff and, in turn, to feel like I haven't wasted the day. I know relaxing is not necessarily wasting a day but this is something my brain just can't tune into. I can't switch off, have never been able to switch off, and I guess this is one of the roots of previous psychological problems that I've had.

All the shops were closed again yesterday so no Christmas Dinner for a second day running. Considering we live in a capitalist society, I find it odd that most places close for a festival that has pretty much lost all religious significance in this country. Ah well, not to worry. The corner shop stocked Pringles and Guinness so I was happy. And I got a packet of Custard Creams for 35p. I guess the fault is our own for not getting stuff in - I am sure if circumstances were different, I would quite like the fact that the world of retail (and the Western world in general) has taken some time out of the manic pace of modern life.

Going out for a few drinks with some furs in Leeds tonight - should be fun. Until then, the job search must resume.

Comments

[bloodwolves.livejournal.com]

go spoil yourself,hun

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

Oh I am. I have drank and eaten so much I have increased two dress sizes or whatever the common parlance is now. Did I say dress sizes, I meant waist sizes :P

[bandrik.livejournal.com]

I'm actually very similar about being restless and not "switching off". Since I just graduated college, I feel like every second of my life is precious, and needs to be spent doing something. I want to make so many achievements!

Though I will point out, I do take time off to relax and spend time with friends. I use the phrase, "work hard, play hard".

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

Work hard, play hard is a good mantra but the problem I have with that is that I still rarely get to fully switch off. Playing hard for me is often a two hour train ride away so it gets tiring very quickly. I am slowly but surely starting to calm down now but it's a long process. I am also scared about the future too.

Still, spent a good few days just drinking, eating, watching TV, playing games and being with my wolf :)

[hyperx.livejournal.com]

Hey I think I got a job for you... go make me a sandwich!

Pay: 1 Slap on the Butt. *If it's good*
Duration: As long as it take to make the sandwich... though it better not take long cause I am hungry!

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

Mrrrr, I would so accept that :P

[shep-shepherd.livejournal.com]

As far as I could tell, all the large shops were open here yesterday. The Rayleigh branch of Halfords and my local Tesco Express were, at any rate :)

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

I must be in some backward part of the world. Oh wait, yes I am, I'm in Yorkshire :P

[slinkat.livejournal.com]

"Considering we live in a capitalist society, I find it odd that most places close for a festival that has pretty much lost all religious significance in this country".

To be honest, I don't think the majority of folk ever attached any religious significance to it anyway. Look at the most popular aspects of it - presents, turkey and a decorated tree. Nowt there remotely linked to the Christian side of it. I'm sure that most shops would be open the whole time is they could be, as there would doubtless be demand. I'm old enough to remember when nothing opened on Sunday, yet it now feels more busy than Saturday.

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

I remember non-Sunday opening too. It changed in 1994, when I was 11/12 years old. I remember Sunday being a day of torturous boredom back then. I certainly prefer it the way it is now.

I agree with you - in the UK we have lost all semblence of religious significance about anything. Or at least the Christain majority has. It's not necessarily a bad thing, which is why I was wondering why all the shops were closed. I guess now we just look at it as an excuse to have a party at the darkest and most depressing time of the year. No shame in that.

[eldabion.livejournal.com]

In some ways, its a good attitude to have. I've recently been thinking that I haven't accomplished enough this year, and that every moment is precious.

However, having said that, I don't think Greatness (and that's with a capital G :) ) is the same as happiness. Many people throughout history who have felt the drive to achieve (and even today we can see that kind of people around us) are not necessarily happy. It all depends on where you think that balance should be.

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

It is a good attitude to have but it's one that ends up in you working 52 hour weeks for 6/7 days a week. This is why I have just quit my job. I think I push it too far the other way and although I know that being at rest is productive, perhaps I don't look at it quite like that and want to be doing things as the productivity is far more immediate. I get restless otherwise.

Greatness is not akin to happiness but a lot of my goals are intertwined with the two. I do think being Great would make me happy, perhaps on a greater as well as a more personal level. I do think that a drive for Greatness is making me unhappy - it's all related to childhood upbringing and expectation. I want to break it but it's a paradox I can't break out of.

[snowtiger-uk.livejournal.com]

You have the inability to relax,
I am the opposite, if I find a nice warm place to curl up in and sleep I often do. I TRY to ballance my life with work and rest as much as possible.
And get some food in, try to always have the basic food stuffs in, even if it is only veggies and meat. You can always have a snack if you have bread and butter with tinned stuff. Like tuna, salmon, etc, and there is always soup as a last resort. Make sure you have a decent size freezer or two and slowly stock it up for the next time. *gives you a ball to chase*

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

*chases the ball and yaps*. Thanks hun. Got the food in now, it's feeling more Christmassy which is good. I also don't care about eating or drinking what I like until 4 January. I will get regrets then but hopefully I will have relaxed a lot more and can be more productive. I hope so anyway. The restlessness is relenting but it still hasn't completely gone away.