I believe in what I have named the pendulum principle. Anything taken to an extreme in one direction will be subject to going in the extreme in the opposite direction. For example, if I try and take my diet in the extreme and just eat celery and water, eventually I will be attacking girl scouts and stealing their cookies, then back to bizarre healthy eating, then swinging back to Neilson's frozen custard and on and on. This principle doesn't just relate to the physical, but the mental, emotional, social, and spiritual. I find this also happens with my morning routine. Either I'm hot or I'm cold, I'm up or I'm down, (as I break into song). I am trying to get my morning routine of "saw sharpening" back under control and find that I am prone to swing from still wearing my exercise clothes at noon and not having even done any exercising, to having all my "sharpening" tasks completed by 6 am. I can tell if I am in one extreme or the other by the self awareness that comes from deep breathing and noticing if I am stressed, bored or at peace. Stress means I am doing too much, bored means too little, and peace is just right, just like the baby bear.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Swinging on the Pendelum
I believe in what I have named the pendulum principle. Anything taken to an extreme in one direction will be subject to going in the extreme in the opposite direction. For example, if I try and take my diet in the extreme and just eat celery and water, eventually I will be attacking girl scouts and stealing their cookies, then back to bizarre healthy eating, then swinging back to Neilson's frozen custard and on and on. This principle doesn't just relate to the physical, but the mental, emotional, social, and spiritual. I find this also happens with my morning routine. Either I'm hot or I'm cold, I'm up or I'm down, (as I break into song). I am trying to get my morning routine of "saw sharpening" back under control and find that I am prone to swing from still wearing my exercise clothes at noon and not having even done any exercising, to having all my "sharpening" tasks completed by 6 am. I can tell if I am in one extreme or the other by the self awareness that comes from deep breathing and noticing if I am stressed, bored or at peace. Stress means I am doing too much, bored means too little, and peace is just right, just like the baby bear.
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3 comments:
I have never heard of that principle but I see it in my life.
Great insights.
interesting thoughts. my question is-is the goal to not swing your pendulum but strive for an even pace? i think the swing is a natural cycle we all go through but i wish i knew how to keep the motivation level up on a more consistent basis. yes, i'm aware that i'm addressing this question to my most consistently inconsistent friend (your words, not mine), but we need to talk more on this!
Yvonne, I believe that there is indeed a natural swing in the middle that is healthy and let's face it, kind of fun and interesting. What I am talking about is going to an extreme in either direction that is unhealthy.
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