I know you can be overwhelmed, and you can be underwhelmed, but can you ever just be, whelmed?
It’s an auspicious question I first came across in my pre-teen, cousin accompanied viewing of ‘10 things I hate about you’ many moons ago, and I have to thank those 90’s screenwriters for posing such a thought provoking interrogation.
Because for many situations, circumstances and presented opportunities, there may many, suitably descriptive words: exciting, nerve-racking, inspiring, motivating, challenging or just really damn cool.
For others though, the term speechless is the only thing I can muster.
It’s not that I’m indifferent, undecided or perplexed – I’m simply, factually, downright speechless.
I’m just, whelmed.
You know that adage, which goes something like: “it’s my party and ill dance/cry/eat cold sausage rolls if I want to”?
It’s a thing. This life and everything in it is basically your party, do with it what you will. No one cares.
And in this daily rollercoaster, that I’m probably a tad too short for continues to creep up to the highest peak, I’m not sure how I actually feel about it.
I’m whelmed, and all I can really do is throw my hands up in the air like I just don’t care. All there is to do is enjoy the thrill.
Because on the way down a mega drop, there’s no stopping, pulling out or bailing, all there is to do, is embrace the butterflies, hold the regurgitation of your most recent hot dog and try make a semi-decent face for the inevitable mid-flight camera shot.
You are asked nothing more, than to enjoy the ride.
So do it. Do it well and do it every damn day. Enjoy, race to the end of the line to do it all again and run far from the Ferris Wheel whose circulating view you know far too well.
This life is hec-tos (Elwood housemate slang for hectic), but that doesn’t have to equate to it being overwhelming.
In the face of endless meetings, mountainous weekly readings, demanding assignments, uncooked dinners, treadmill laps, unpacked weekend bags and invitations, reject the need to want to slump in your chair, order another soy latte and complain about being busy.
For me the choice was and continues to be easy.
You can bite off more than you can chew and risk choking on greatness, or nibble on mediocrity.
The choice is now yours, are you ready for the drop?
I was feeling overwhelmed at the mountain on my desk right now.
So I took the 5 minutes out to read this latest post, and now my pile doesn’t seem as overwhelming, because now I can say and feel like I am just whelmed.
Phew, what a relief that is!
Thanks again for putting a new perspective on things.