SRDs

"A day of worry is more exhausting than a day of work." (John Lubbock)

"Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you'd have preferred to talk." (Doug Larson)

Lately I've been having this feeling of uncertainty, as well as a certain lack of enthusiasm for my job. Work-related issues that had been cropping up in the past few months must have taken their toll on me, bringing about a certain amount of stress that must have been the main reason why I lost about ten pounds (if our weighing scale is that accurate) in about as many weeks, even without exercising.

I normally sleep deeply enough. In fact, when I'm tired and sleepy, I could curl up or stretch out my legs on the sofa and you'd see me off in dreamland already. But during those, shall we call them, "stress-related days" or SRDs, it seemed I couldn't sleep without having to wake up at least two or three times before my usual rousing time to prepare for the day. Worse, I couldn't get back to sleep for what seemed like an hour after those "disturbances!" Uninvited thoughts that would cause more stress would intrude into my sleepy brain… One thought would lead to another that my mind could not drive away!
But there were certain times during those SRDs that people would come and talk to me, seeking advice or plainly needing an ear to sympathetically (maybe) hear them out. It may have been some of those talks that added to the SRDs, but ironically, I would admit there was a certain relief from the experience.

I am no priest that would listen to confessions, but what was it about listening to other people's problems that seemed to lift from my own shoulders my own worries?

Was it because it was a reminder that no person has an exclusivity on problems, that whatever problems you may have, others may have the same or even worse ones?

Was it because it was sort of an affirmation that somehow, people still trust you enough to tell you their problems, whether they were looking for friendly advice or an ally in office causes or simply someone to vent their frustrations on?

I don't know if subliminally, this adds to my SRDs, but listening to other people drone on and on unexplainably feels like a soothing balm to me… I disagree with the quote "Every problem is just an opportunity waiting to be made of" because recently, I've been having bouts with forgetfulness. I believe more Charles Schulz when he said, "No problem is so formidable that you can't walk away from it." That is why most of the time, what people say to me in confidence is something I refuse to think about constantly so I would not feel the need to unburden myself on others, and thus break the chain of confidence.

Maybe I ought to keep in mind what Dale Carnegie said: "If you can't sleep, then get up and do something instead of lying there worrying. It's the worry that gets you, not the lack of sleep."

Then wouldn't my husband be the one who wouldn't get enough sleep…