Caught Up?

 

“Don’t be caught up in your outer world. Pay greater attention to your inner world.” ~ Alan Rufus

It is the season for political passion in Kenya. As we prepare to elect new leaders in August, politicians and their campaigners are busy stirring passions and doing anything possible, legal and illegal, to drum up support for their preferred candidates. Of course, their target audience, the electorate, includes you and me.

Well, they are on a mission and they have about 38 days to complete it. You on the other hand have 183 days to the end of the year – and that time could be too long or too short depending on whether you have been working on your goals, have achieved them, or are on course to achieving them, or none of the above.

With that reality check out of the way, are you getting caught up in your feelings about this or that candidate, this or that affair? Where are you directing your passions? What is causing you to froth at the mouth? Have you made enemies lately because someone was of a different persuasion from yours? Have you lost your sleep because of a sporting event or a team you support?

If the answer to any of the above is yes, I’d want you to consider additional questions. How is any of the above affecting your income at the moment, given the current economic reality? How is your destiny being affected by your support for or protest against the person or issue in question?

I have a theory I would like you to consider. Could your passionate interest in politics, sports, current affairs, or whatever the issue is be an addiction to drama, that serves to distract you from the fact that your life is not moving forward as it should? I am basing this theory on the observation that the poorer a person is, the more likely they are to be involved in drama that does not concern them. And the more we have on our to-do list, the more drama that has nothing to do with us seems more urgent, engaging, or entertaining. (that Facebook scrolling habit you engage in for hours. . .yes, that one!)

During the safety instructions on a flight, passengers are told that in the case of an emergency and oxygen masks drop, they should fix their own mask before helping others to do the same – even in the case that the one you’re helping is your child. The deeper lesson from this is that we should take care of our affairs before trying to take care of another’s affairs. Indeed, if my house is in disarray, what order can I be taking to another’s house?

My exhortation to you today is to should spend more time minding your own business. Learn to detach from things that don’t concern you; things that aren’t your business. Unnecessary stress will mess with your immune system and make you vulnerable to illnesses that you don’t need in your life. Media is basically a programming tool whose main purpose is to shape the way you think about issues. Don’t let it control you or influence your thinking. Why don’t you take responsibility to shape your own thinking and the outcomes of your life? After all, it is YOUR life and you are responsible for your every action. Get so caught up in what concerns you that you have no time to be bothered by what’s not your business.

“Free yourself from the complexities and drama of your life. Simplify. Look within. Within ourselves, we all have the gifts and talents we need to fulfill the purpose we've been blessed with.” ~ Steve Maraboli

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