17. I’m so freaking frustrated – the world is broken

(The picture above doesn’t reflect this post in any way, shape or manner…I felt I needed to add a picture to make this whole post a bit more upbeat!)

The symptoms of stress are definitely rearing their ugly head.

Since returning from our sea trials and survey in Palma, Mallorca my right eye keeps vibrating – or blinking without me doing it. I’ve been told that it’s caused by caffeine, low potassium levels, or lack of sleep. It’s driving me nuts. I find it hard to read and just going throughout my day is difficult. My vision is definitely impaired.

Furthermore, I woke up this morning feeling sickly. And thinking back, I think I went to bed feeling a bit sickly. And thinking even further back, before we went to view the boat I was up ill during the night and got sick 3 times!

Perhaps I’m missing something in my diet? Or perhaps I’m eating something that is disagreeing with me? Or perhaps it’s my mental state causing all these effects? All of the above – probably!

Nerves – I’m sure so much comes down to nerves/stress. Perhaps I need to just go out and have some fun? Yes, I just came back from Palma where we spent three days of ‘fun’ but it was stressful fun. In fact, it was more stressful than it was fun.

Once we’re on the boat I’ll be happier.

I keep thinking that once we’re on the boat, life will become less stressful but I’m not happy with that line of thought. If I’m stressed now, I’ll be stressed later. I wish I could just flip a switch and become laid back, easy-going and peaceful about life regardless of my eye twitching, my tummy feeling queazy, or the latest update on our sell up and sail plans.

On the flip side, hubby and I keep saying with a smile, ‘I can’t wait to get on the boat!’ and from that perspective, we’re finding it easier to shed this current life. The weather is getting cold and rainy in England. I’m finding that my normal routine is getting tiresome – I go to the same coffee shop every morning and listen to the same music they play. I’m tired of it all – the same sights, same music, same passers-by with the same issues.

Are our frustrations healthy?

Having the ability to really get frustrated about our current life will help make it easier to transition over to our new life. I just want to ensure we shed the frustration when we go. I know that the grass isn’t greener – been there and have done that. Your problems, frustrations, and issues go with you where ever you run to!

I feel, however, that our frustrations are good ones and for the most part, we’re taking action now to address them. In fact, they might actually be coping mechanisms to make everything progress in the best way for us?!

Not to labor the point, but I wonder if things would get done without frustration or the need for a change? If you think about it, the whole reason we’re selling up and sailing away comes down to frustration.

I’ve been frustrated with what society calls living a normal life.

Normal life seems broken to me. In fact, every sector in the world seems misaligned or misguided. Just allow me a few thoughts about education, the news industry, and healthcare (if you care to read on).

The education system appears to be broken.

I’m really perplexed by the education system (for my daughter). The system flat out doesn’t put the child first by any means. It’s an institution that is seriously broken – the objectives laid out are all about passing exams and ensuring kids can memorize information rather than learn. Did you know that subjects are broken down into Math, English, Science, and History for the simple reason of testing! The reason kids don’t understand how algebra will benefit them is that they learn it in isolation – it’s not contextualized!

Imagine an education where the child can learn all the main subjects based on their core interests. For example, my daughter is interested in her doll’s house now – I can use that as a prop and teach her all the subjects within a context or framework. Anyway, I’m finding that schools kill the excitement and enthusiasm about learning that is natural in children. Actually – I experienced first hand myself!

The news is depressing.

What else am I tired of? Well…I’m tired of the news – I don’t watch it but it still filters through to me. Although the older generation tells me that it’s my role as a citizen to ‘be informed about what’s going on in the world,’ my heart tells me that it’s really not that important. Furthermore, when I watch it I never come away feeling good. Why participate in an activity that actually makes me feel bad? That doesn’t make sense.

And what about the broken medical system?

I’m tired of the medical system – am I the only person that thinks reactive care is so much more harmful and expensive than proactive care? I could go on for days about this…but the reason people are sick comes down to their mental/emotional/physical state, the food they eat, and chemicals they’re exposed to. All three of those things can be addressed BEFORE a person becomes ill. Prevention… cure the cause, not the effect.

What else should I rant about while I’m on a roll?

Should I touch on the banking system? Or what about the governments of the world? No…I’ll just get wound up more than I am already.

Why am I frustrated?

Well – the mainstream world is broken and I don’t want to focus my energy on broken systems anymore.

I want to discover new systems – and there are loads of them out there! I want to consciously create my life and stop being a sheep just following the herd of complacency and ignorance. There are thousands of people creating new offerings – new products and services that make sense.

We have a choice!

Regarding my daughter’s education, I’m so excited to find that there are hundreds of support groups and thousands of resources for home-schoolers. I didn’t like school and my husband hated it. Hubby was dyslexic, yet they didn’t know what dyslexia was at the time. He was told he would never amount to anything and would be lucky to ever get a job. I was told something similar. Most of my teachers gave up on me. And from the social perspective, I found my days filled with fear. Would I get picked last for the gym exercise? Would someone make fun of me? Would I get bullied? Would I have to stick up for someone being bullied?

To choose a different way for my daughter I’m going to give home-schooling a go because our sell up and sail plans are forcing that to happen. And I’m really pleased about that!

There’s loads of good news…the media just doesn’t report on it.

The news? Well, again I’m happy to report that there are thousands of sources of good news. There are websites, blogs, and syndications sending out the positive, inspiring, exciting news. If you think about it, 99.9% of the world has positive news on a daily basis. Why not get a daily intake of that rather than the 0.1% that is bad.

Yes people die, there are earthquakes and the cost of electricity is always on the rise. It’s not that I don’t care…I do care – especially if people are suffering. What I’m saying is that I want to focus on the people that live, those that work to save people from earthquakes, and the many that are creating self-generating power sources. Most ‘bad’ news actually has the power to be positive or will have a positive side to it but the media fails to bring that into focus.

You get what you focus on so I’m choosing to say no to the 0.1% of the ‘bad’ stuff and going out and living life enjoying the good stuff.

As far as the medical world goes, I think the emergency services are amazing and much needed. If I break my arm, I want someone to help me! And when I had a baby I was so happy to have amazing midwives with me to manage the experience. Beyond things like that, however, there are so many ways to be proactive and get our bodies and minds in a good, healthy place.

It’s all about educating ourselves and TAKING RESPONSIBILITY for our health. The alternative and complementary health fields have been growing massively in recent years and there’s a good reason for it. Nonevasive offerings like acupuncture, chiropractors, nutritionists, and so forth can help individuals with many health issues.

My family and I are now eating a diet of meat, fish, vegetables, fruit, and nuts/seeds. We’ve cut out most processed foods and avoid gluten. Just Google gluten and read a few websites on what it does to your body – it’s scary!!! I’ve said ‘no more’ to fuel for my body with ‘bad’ news and ‘bad’ food! And mental/physical health – there are so many places to turn for assistance on that.

It’s not like the information on being healthy and happy isn’t available. The problem is that too many people are blaming everyone around them for their misery rather than taking charge of their own life. You can consciously create your life and it can be the most amazing life imaginable (and it can get better and better) but the only way for that to happen is to wake up and start figuring out what works and doesn’t work for you.

Amen.

Next Chapter: 18. Saying goodbye to my old routines and old lifestyle

Previous Chapter: 16. What does homeschooling, the paleo diet, writing, and photography have to do with sailing?

Or…if you’d like to carry on reading all about our journey from selling up and sailing away, you can purchase my book, ‘Changing Lifestyles – Trading the Rat Race in For A Sail Around The World,’ 

READER REVIEW "I finished your book this week and absolutely loved it! It was great to read about your early days in many places we also sailed. I loved the way you combined your blogs/real life scenarios with advise on boat maintenance, letting go of your previous life and about your honestly throughout. I enjoy your style of writing Kim, and I loved the little Sienna quotes." Jayne Eames-Thornton, s/v Delphinus