up and down

There are times when I feel good about everything; life, surroundings, nature, beauty, love etc. Its great to feel that way, its highly recommended.

There are times when I feel down or depressed, sometimes about one thing and other times about a lot of things happening all at once. I notice it is people around me who make me feel down, more often. It may be a problem they have brought to my attention, or a problem of theirs which they want me to help them with.

I face constant challenges, especially right now when I am sailing very close to the wind with little wiggle room for unexpected disappointments. For example if it rains and I have a full load of king coconuts to sell in Colombo, I know I will have a problem in selling. That immediately translates into reduced income, and when my expenses remain the same, I am squeezed and have to juggle to make ends meet.

It sounds simplistic, but we all face issues of varying degrees. What is a simple problem for one is a big problem for another.

So how do I cope with it? I can try and compartmentalise them into those I have control over and those I don't. Only concerning myself with those I can control. I can also put off the issue hoping it would go away, as sometimes it does. I can also be an escapist and try and erase it from memory by doing something else that blocks it out.

It is true that there is no limit to the amount of worries you can pile up in your head. The trick is to pile up as few as possible when you are down and try and eliminate them as much as possible.