Wow, that seems like an outsized reaction …

Have you jumped on the Wordle craze? For those not in the know, it’s a daily 5-letter word puzzle that you have 6 tries to guess. It’s a fun way to bond with my family as we compare how many guesses it took that day.

Though things got out of hand this past weekend.

Mrs. Gaston (*changed her name to protect her from the outrage), my former social studies teacher, was merely trying to post an image that shows how many attempts it took her on Facebook. 

But, instead, the actual word was posted!

Wow, the fury was real! 

There were 30+ comments below her post that varied along the lines of “don’t post the word! I haven't done it yet today” to “geez, thanks a lot” to “this isn’t accidental.”

I felt bad because she clearly made a mistake (sure, she could have deleted the initial post), but this was an overreaction. Once the comment has been made, let it be, meaning no need to pile on and post a similar comment. 

This could simply have been a 2-3 comment thread and been done.

But this is a theme I’ve noticed lately. 

Folks overreacting to every perceived slight or misspoken word - but then that dilutes the outrage to real slights and not so accidental words.

Are you finding yourself reacting out of proportion to the actual issue at hand? 

Are you quick to anger?

Are your colleagues getting on your nerves more lately?

You may be in burnout mode because things are getting to you more than normal. 

We’re living in a hypervigilant world where we’re reactive instead of proactive in our words and actions.

And living in this state leads to burnout.

A dear friend of mine recently was ordered to two weeks of medical leave because her doctor was concerned about her extremely high blood pressure.

My friend had been running herself ragged for the past year, and it caught up to her. Her doctor informed her that if she doesn’t take drastic steps, then she’s not going to like where this ends. 

How many of you have been burning the candle at both ends? 

What do you need to happen in order to shift your behavior?

Often, our bodies are giving us hints that things are not ok, but we often charge through and keep tending to our to-do list, instead of ourselves.

Let this please be an invitation to pause. 

To be ok in the state of being instead of doing. 

We need you.

When we choose difference-making work, the work never stops. But if we want longevity in this space, then it’s vital to cultivate the pause.

Until next time, as always, be gentle & kind to yourself. 

Shalini