The Consequences of Your Choices: Pressure!

No matter what life you lead at some point or another you have to deal with pressure. I love the line from Billy Joel’s lyrics – you’re just like everybody else – it is so true. Everyone has pressure however we all deal with it differently. Some people thrive while others shutdown, some have physical symptoms while others show it emotionally. As we grow and mature in our lives we all eventually figure out how we deal with pressure.

Some pressure is internally motivated – get good grades, make more money, climb the ladder of success, get noticed, be liked. Some is family motivated – when are you going to have children? When are you going to grow up and buy a house? When are you going to call me, come visit or remember my birthday? When are you going to be like your brother / sister / cousin? And then there is the external pressure to fit in, look right, wear the right clothes, like the right causes, post the perfect pictures online…and so much more.

If you are fortunate, one day it hits you. I do not HAVE TO do or be any of these things. You figure out that you can be exactly who YOU want to be, have the goals and desires YOU want and YOUR contentment with your own life is the reward that truly matters. I use the word fortunate as not everyone ever reaches the point where they like themselves enough to stop caring what everyone else wants or thinks. IF you reach this point, the only pressure you really feel are from the decisions YOU have made, which means living with the consequences of your own choices. And isn’t that what growing up is all about? Being responsible for our own lives.

Maybe today you are feeling pressure. Where is it coming from? Can you opt out or is it pressure of your own making? The best way to deal with pressure is to face it, dissect it, and tackle what you can control then leave the rest alone. If you need time, resources, or courage then go find those or ask for help. It is amazing how pressure subsides when you admit you can’t do it alone and reach out for someone. Never be too proud to ask for and give help. We all need assistance at one time or another, we all have consequences for our decisions, and we all can handle pressure if we keep it in the right perspective.