Rattled

Introduction:

Welcome my friend,

It's that time of the weekend when I swing by to see how you're holding up.

Sure, sharing all these insights feels great, but they only have profound impacts if we're in the right headspace to take them in.

Which makes our mental health and overall well being a key part of what we do here.

So, how are you really doing?

If you’re sensing some unease, like your mind is scattered or restless, you’re not alone.

Today, we’ll dive into why we might feel this way and explore some effective ways to cope.

Discussion:

Feeling rattled, as we’ll unpack today, is that sense of mental disarray where our thoughts feel scattered and chaotic.

It’s not typically sadness or pain, but a restless, sometimes overwhelming mix of confusion and anxiety that’s hard to pin down to a single cause.

This vagueness is what turns a subtle unease into a bigger problem because how do we fix something we can’t quite name?

Now we can't concentrate, because there's a disturbance deep within; something that troubles us.

■ The Importance Of Acknowledging Our Feelings

We can’t effectively address a problem we haven’t yet acknowledged, as we’re not well positioned to make the necessary changes.

When we dismiss our feelings, we overlook their influence on every other aspect of our lives, affecting our interactions or performance as the case may be.

The reality is, when we’re accustomed to the hustle or prioritizing others, we often push our own feelings aside, treating them as unimportant while focusing on showing up as expected.

Yet do we really do?

When we’re unsettled, achieving optimal performance or behavior becomes nearly impossible, as our mind drifts toward distractions to cope.

Here, by ignoring our feelings we make ourselves prone to employ unhealthy coping mechanisms, in our poor attempt to suppress something that needs proper resolution.

This isn't the best approach.

■ Identifying The Cause Of Our Unsettling 

It’s often challenging to attribute our unease to a single cause, but upon reflection, we typically find ourselves unsettled by one or more of the following:

▪︎ Fear Of The Future 

The feeling of anxiousness about what the future holds is usually a common source of our distress.

Yet, by thorough reflection, we recognize that much of the suffering we’ve experienced was largely mental, as many of our fears never materialized, and for those that did, we managed to navigate through them.

Things rarely turn out as dire as they seem, or we wouldn’t still be standing.

Truth is, constantly worrying about the future steals the joy and potential of the present, which is our chance to take actions that shape what’s to come.

While it’s natural to ponder what tomorrow may hold, it’s equally crucial to recognize that our anxieties won’t improve its outcomes and if we're not careful, may even be the reason we don't get there.

▪︎ Our Relationships 

It’s deeply unsettling to experience ongoing tension with those around us, particularly when we care about them and long for better interactions.

When we clash with loved ones over something they’ve done, it burdens us with the weight of forgiveness, which can be profoundly unsettling.

Here, anger tempts us to cling to resentment, feeling justified, yet we’re the ones left carrying this heavy load.

When we let go, we liberate ourselves.

Similarly, this places a responsibility on us to be mindful of others’ feelings, ensuring our actions don’t unsettle them.

▪︎ Burnout 

This unsettling feeling arises when our efforts seem disproportionate to the outcomes we achieve, or for those at the peak of their careers, when we lose passion for our work and crave new challenges.

When we’re not fully tapping into our potential, we’re often the first to notice, which can be deeply unsettling as it leaves us feeling stuck.

Similarly, in relationships, burnout is the sting of feeling underappreciated or unwanted, pouring out love that isn’t returned.

This can be distressing as we grapple with rejection, torn between walking away or pressing on.

Yet, love that feels like a struggle holds little true value.

■ How To Approach Our Situations 

Once we’ve recognized and identified the source of our unsettling emotions, it’s crucial to understand how to respond appropriately.

It’s not always feasible to brush our feelings aside to maintain a facade of positivity, especially when we’re aware that things are genuinely amiss.

For instance, when our anxiety about the future stems from illness, how do we hold it together?

Similarly, while many relationship issues can be resolved through tough conversations, self reflection, and forgiveness, it’s different when dealing with someone who lacks empathy or deliberately exploits our commitment to them.

It's the same for burnouts, while stepping back to rest and recharge can often help us return revitalized, how do we manage in more severe cases where exhaustion triggers panic?

■ Finding Rest 

I wish I had all the “practical solutions” that our more analytical and logical friends might seek to all of these questions.

Yet, if what we’re sharing resonates with me and countless other believers, how much more practical can it be?

It can be for you too.

Truth is, heaven helps us when we can't help ourselves, as we lean on God finding rest in Him.

This is a genuine promise, echoing back to the time of Moses when God assured him, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

Here, as Moses discovered, this doesn’t guarantee smooth paths or the instant resolution of all our unsettling concerns, but it assures us that we can find joy in the confidence that there’s always a meaningful purpose behind it all.

It's this joy that displaces our anxieties, granting us a peace that surpasses understanding; even as we navigate life’s deepest valleys.

This is what this rest is all about.

Summary:

Today, my friend, we’ve explored words that I needed to hear as well.

Life isn’t always easy, and we all face our struggles, but the beauty of it is that we can lean on each other, even as we lean on God, the one that grants us Rest!

Master Apprentice.

www.x.com/truekingmaker