WSU Museum of Art Staff Loving Pack One of Many Art Pieces Donated to the Museum. Zadie Byrd ‘Supervises’
Stress is produced when you try to regulate productivity based on manmade time. … You lose your creative drive when you are under pressure. … Do what comes to you in sequential order, or the situation becomes a demand, and once there is a demand, there is stress. Gregge Tiffen – The Language of a Mystic: Cycles (August 2009)
As the cycle of being in my cousin’s home and executing her last wishes begins to come to a close, I’m noticing that I’ve used the above words of wisdom from Gregge Tiffen, consciously and unconsciously, throughout my time here. What could have been a quite stressful experience has been relatively stress-free.
That said, I’ve experienced the stress of deadlines – most self-imposed. In unconscious moments of rushing, I’ve begun to catch myself. Noticing that I created the demand. Recognizing that I can operate differently. Recognizing cycles rather than time. Step by step as each presented itself for attention.
Although many things have required scheduling, approaching them sequentially and thoughtfully, and being flexible has eased what could have been many stressful days.
I noticed there’s some magic in this approach. For instance, help packing appeared from an unexpected source just when I needed it most. Looking in the basement for some antique items, a local friend in need of a freezer found just what she needed, along with some useful antique boxes. I suspect that had I been operating on a rigid schedule I wouldn’t have experienced this and other ‘magic’.
When stress creeps (or roars) in uninvited, take a step back and notice what demands are present. What can you shift to ease the pressure?
Mother Nature’s Art Stays in Place