family – Crisbie Coach

A Gaze Through a Window: Reflections on Life’s Different Paths

I watched this story on Jerry Seinfeld Youtube channel and found it funny and meaningful at the same time. This anecdote, featuring the legendary Glenn Miller and his orchestra, offers a poignant glimpse into the human condition and the divergent paths we tread in life.

As Miller and his band, clad in their performance attire, trudged through the biting cold, instruments in tow, they stumbled upon a scene that seemed to be from another world. Inside a cozy country home, a family shared laughter and love around a dinner table, a stark contrast to the musicians’ immediate reality. It was a snapshot of domestic bliss, so distant from the nomadic life of a touring musician.

One band member, observing the family, uttered a line that resonates with the core of the story: “How do people live like that?” This question isn’t one of bewilderment at the family’s lifestyle but rather a reflection of his own life choices. It’s a moment of introspection, a comparison of the stability and predictability of a traditional life with the uncertainty and excitement of a life on the road.

The moral of this story is multifaceted. It speaks to the idea that there is no singular way to live a fulfilling life. The band member’s question reveals a yearning for the warmth and security he perceives in the family’s life, yet it also highlights the unique beauty of his own experiences. The musicians’ path is one of passion, creativity, and the pursuit of a different kind of fulfillment—one that comes from the roar of the crowd and the joy of performance.

Moreover, the story underscores the importance of embracing our choices and the lives we lead. It’s a reminder that while we may occasionally gaze wistfully through the windows of others, our own journey has its own worth and beauty. It’s about finding contentment in our chosen path and recognizing that every lifestyle has its own challenges and rewards.

In essence, Seinfeld’s retelling of Miller’s story is a gentle nudge to appreciate the life we have and to understand that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. It’s a call to celebrate the uniqueness of our individual journeys and to find joy in the path we’ve chosen, whether it’s a quiet life at home or a thrilling adventure on the road.

As we reflect on this tale, let us take a moment to appreciate our own life’s narrative, with all its twists and turns, knowing that each of us has a special story to tell. 🎶🏡❄️

Do you like this anecdote? Are you happy with the life you live?

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Achieving Harmony: Nurturing Well-being in a Fast-Paced World

In today’s society, our well-being often takes a backseat to the demands of our professional lives. Striking a balance between work and personal needs is crucial for maintaining a high quality of life and safeguarding our physical, mental, and emotional health.

The international classification of diseases recognizes burnout as a work-related phenomenon, but its causes extend beyond the workplace. With the rising cost of living, a lot of people work tirelessly to make ends meet.

However, this relentless pursuit often results in neglecting essential aspects of life.

Whether working for a company or engaging in individual businesses, we dedicate countless hours to our professional lives, leaving little time for nourishing meals, adequate rest, and quality time with loved ones. The consequences of this imbalance are often underestimated.

Even for those facing the responsibility of providing for their families, it’s essential to find a work-life equilibrium. Life encompasses more than work, and neglecting personal well-being can have long-term repercussions on health.

The excessive focus on work, coupled with insufficient time for activities like sports, walks in nature, or simply relaxation, can contribute to issues such as post-traumatic stress, fatigue, nutritional imbalances, and strained relationships. It’s crucial to recognize the signs and prioritize self-care.

If you feel trapped in a cycle of stress and exhaustion, it’s important to realize that no salary is worth compromising your health. While changing your current situation might not be immediately feasible, incorporating daily activities promoting well-being is crucial to achieving a healthier work-life balance.

Remember, life extends beyond the confines of the workplace. Family, friends, and health are integral parts of a fulfilling life. Work may be important, but it shouldn’t consume your entire existence. Strive for a harmonious balance, as your relationships and health are irreplaceable.

In the grand scheme of things, your job may be replaceable, but your family, friends, and well-being are not. Prioritize self-care to lead a happier, healthier life. After all, nothing is worth sacrificing your happiness for. Your work will go on, but your relationships and health require your mindful attention. Take the necessary steps to care for yourself and embrace a life that goes beyond the confines of the workplace.

Do you think you care enough for your well-being?

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The Perils of Perfectionism: Striving for Excellence Without Burning Out

Are you the type of individual who relentlessly pursues higher goals, seemingly never satisfied with the achieved results? It’s not a flaw but being a perfectionist can be a double-edged sword, akin to a relentless weapon that, if wielded excessively, may lead to burnout.

Perfectionism, much like stress, is acceptable in moderation but can be detrimental when it becomes overwhelming. Its manifestations vary from person to person, often stemming from external pressures such as the workplace, societal expectations, or familial influences.

Consider the archetype of the model employee, always pushing for more, quantitatively and qualitatively. This individual embodies a perfectionist, and while the drive for excellence is commendable, the associated behavior can transform motivation into professional fatigue. Such individuals work inflexibly, refusing to distance themselves from their tasks and unwilling to accept the inevitability of errors.

Others immerse themselves in small tasks, toiling tirelessly but without efficiency. Some perfectionists restrict their focus to minor tasks, fearing the potential failure of larger projects. This fear, a common trait among perfectionists, hinders them from embracing new challenges.

Perfectionism isn’t confined to the professional field; it concerns personal spaces too. The home must be impeccable, and relaxation takes a backseat to constant rearranging and cleaning upon returning from work.

Over time, this relentless pursuit of perfection renders individuals fragile and vulnerable, paving the way for burnout, eating disorders, or even depression. Burnout, characterized by a gradual decline in energy due to constant overload, is exacerbated by factors like unfulfilling work or a lack of recognition.

So, what can perfectionists do to avoid this downward spiral? Shifting the focus from the result to the process is crucial. Recognizing that external circumstances influence outcomes and are beyond one’s control is liberating. Perfectionists should actively seek activities that bring joy and energy, such as hobbies, spending time with loved ones, practicing sports, or nurturing passions.

Understanding oneself is paramount. Perfectionists should introspect, identifying activities that bring fulfillment and energy. Embracing the fact that humans make mistakes and that learning occurs through trial and error is a vital mindset shift.

Remember, even the invention of the light bulb required 5000 attempts. When harnessed wisely, perfectionism can drive success, but not at the expense of well-being. Strive for excellence, but let it be a journey of growth, self-discovery, and, most importantly, balance.

Do you consider yourself a perfectionist?

Would You Recognize Anxiety in One of Your Friends?

If you have been lucky enough not to have suffered from anxiety disorders, you may not understand what it means to be in such a situation of psychological distress.

Family or friends, mostly out of fear, tend to think that the person suffering is not strong enough or determined to get out of it. However, no one chooses to be anxious or depressed, and no one has the magic wand to put an end to such suffering.

Moreover, people who suffer from anxiety are not as easily spotted as you may think. Many victims of anxiety often wear an unconscious mask of confidence and apparent happiness.

They want to hide a disorder that is very difficult to live with because they feel the constant apprehension of revealing it to their loved ones. Anxious people would not want to cause additional worries that could be difficult for their family and friends to deal with. They are also afraid that the relationships could be strongly impacted.

Therefore it may be difficult for families and friends to detect or recognise anxiety disorders.

However, if one of your friends in distress would end up speaking to you about their true condition, then you could try to provide appropriate support. Dialogue, emotional presence and referral to health professionals such as a psychotherapist who would help identify the basic problem are some of the first steps towards healing.

Would you like some tips on getting rid of anxiety? Have a look here!

People Living Together

Lille, 2018, Yolande, an 85-year-old lady, lives alone. She has children and grandchildren but they live far from her. Yolande does not like living alone and she needs some help with her daily life.

At the same time, Sandrine, a young single mother who has resumed her studies as a nurse, is looking for an accommodation for her and her daughter. But rents are expensive.

Sifting through ads on the Internet, Sandrine sees a much lower offer than the market average. She does not know yet, but it is the announcement that Yolande made.

Thanks to an association, Yolande puts in the market her house in a so called “intergenerational and supportive rent”. With this new type of contract, a single person over 60 can share their place with someone under 30.

The renter benefits from a much lower rent than the market average. In return, they undertake to live with the elderly person and help them with their daily life.

This type of cohabitation is encouraged by the French state which even enforced it in law in 2018. The aim is to help young people find affordable housing, and making older people less lonely.

Sandrine then moves with her daughter to Yolande’s place and they recreate a real little family. Sandrine helps Yolande with the grocery shopping and cleaning the house, while Yolande sometimes looks after the little child and even picks her up from school. By doing so, she feels like a young grandmother again!

What do you think about living together with an elderly?

Work-Life Balance

Our well-being should be our priority. But nowadays the society we live in often puts pressure on us so that we reverse priorities in a way that can seriously compromise our quality of life and our physical, mental and emotional health.

According to the international classification of diseases, burn-out is considered to be a work-related phenomenon but this is not the only cause.

With the increasing cost of living and the bills that accumulate, we are increasingly inclined to work harder and harder to earn a salary that allows us to live a decent life. However, this leads us to put aside other fundamental needs.

We spend many hours a day working for a company, or for ourselves, reducing the time for good meals, for resting, for spending time with our family and we do not understand the impact this can have on our life.

Certainly, many among us cannot afford to work less because they are responsible for their family and they shall provide for their needs.

However, even in such cases, a work-life balance should be found, because life is much more than our work.

The excessive time spent at work and the short time dedicated to ourselves practicing sports, walking in a forest or simply being lazy, in the long run will harm our health up to a level that it would be difficult to recover.

More and more often people suffer from post-traumatic stress, over-fatigue, nutrition problems, relationship difficulties due to exhausting and stressful days spent at work that do not leave us time to live and do activities that really make us happy.

If you think you are in this situation, you should understand one thing: no salary is worth your health, no benefit rewards you for the wear and tear you have at the end of a working day that has drained off your energy and your joy of living.

If you currently have no other choice than continuing with your present work, try to do something that is good for you every day to find your work-life balance. If everything you do daily is stressful and exhausting, the time will come when you won’t be able to go on any longer and the consequences will be more serious. It will take you longer to regain your optimal well-being.

Work is an important part of life but of course life is not just work. As you know, there is more: family, friends, health, in short, enjoying life. Don’t let work be your whole life!

Nothing is worth your being unhappy. Your work will continue even without you, while relationships and health must be taken care of, and followed up carefully.

You can find another job, but you cannot replace your family, your friends and above all your health. Remember to take care of yourself in order to live a better life.