You Are Not a Machine, You Are Like a Garden

Key Concepts

• Human Experience
  • We need different things on different days (sun, water).
  • We have fallow (inactive) and fruitful (productive) seasons.
  • This variability is not a design flaw; it is wiser than perpetual sameness.

Coping with Emotional Ups and Downs

• The Human Heartbeat Analogy
  • Life has ups and downs similar to a heartbeat.
  • A straight line (no ups/downs) signifies the end of life, similar to a heart monitor.
  • Accepting life’s inevitable ups and downs can enable us to appreciate good moments more fully.
• Emotional Challenges
  • Even if things are going well, feelings of sadness or anxiety can still arise.
  • Emotions can sometimes overpower logical thinking, leading to darker mental places.

Strategies to Manage Low Points

1. Find Things To Look Forward To

   • Having small, positive events or routines helps maintain hope (e.g., new episodes of a favorite show, journaling).
   • Look closer, even at superficial things, to get through difficult times.
   • Planning for future enjoyment can be a useful strategy during stressful periods.

2. Change Routine and Step Out of Comfort Zone

   • Routine and predictability can lead to feelings of boredom and missing out.
   • Spontaneity (like an unplanned trip) can bring fresh excitement and relaxation.
   • Studies show spontaneity can increase happiness (72% of people reported feeling happier after being spontaneous).

Personal Experience and Insights

• Acceptance of life’s fluctuations can be motivating.
  • Knowing there will be an emotional 'up' following a down period can help cope with current challenges.
• Personal anecdote: Feeling down despite recent accomplishments and stable life circumstances.
• Overcoming darkness by focusing on small joys and meaningful activities.
• Emotional management through understanding the impermanence of both good and bad times.