Canyon view from Red Butte Gardens, Salt Lake City, Utah
Our eyes, if working as intended, are a powerful asset. Drink in that view! Isn’t it divine? In mid-May, my son eagerly introduced me to one of his favorite vistas at Red Butte Gardens in Salt Lake City. Wow. Serene and breathtaking, mere minutes from downtown, yet quietly far from the bustle of civilization. I felt tiny, mellow, and deeply appreciative.
Our eyesight is extraordinarily influential. It has the ability to fuel our mind and body with pleasure, appreciation, stimulation, and relaxation. A phenomenal blessing. At times, it’s also one of our fiercest foes. A mirror to our flaws. Hmmm, that favorite dress doesn’t flatter the way it did off the rack eons ago. Time for the donation bin. It evidences that our skin isn’t appreciating the weekend ice cream binge. Yikes, massive eruptions. That our roots need a touch up. Again??? Our eyes also activate alarms when we walk into disorderly disasters. Swirling brains swirl faster, and in the words of rock n’ roll legend Pete Townshend, “recriminations fester.” I’m grateful for my vision, but sometimes, I’m not appreciating what I see.
Take another look at the canyon photo. Gorgeous isn’t it? How does that scene make you feel? Ok, it’s just a photo, not as impressive as being there live. Does it feel good anyway? I sure hope so. Now imagine that your job is to prune every bush and tree along the mountain ridges and hillsides. What’s that like for you? My impression of the photo nose-dived. Less of a gentle beauty, more of a beastly avalanche. Much like the sensation I felt over the weekend noting an ever expanding weed swath along the sides of my back garden. Shoot. I really need to address that.
When our eyes team up with our brains, irrational things can happen. I’ve noticed it’s the precursor to progress barriers before my clients shut down momentarily or completely. Interestingly, the size of the project doesn’t matter. What they describe as a huge mess could be a few out of place things on their desk or countertop. For others, it’s a full-blown clutter-fest. Either way, it ends up in a heightened state of visual overwhelm and mental paralysis.
Where to start?
How to move forward?
Why do I feel like I’m having a panic attack just talking about it?
The mess feels too big.
The process, too hard.
It’s easier to walk away and save it for another time or have someone else (hopefully) deal with it.
Over time, the piles get higher and deeper. The reluctance is stronger. The tension is unmanageable especially if it weighs heavier on others who resent cleaning up the fall out once again. You overhear their grumbling dissatisfaction. You feel worse. Everyone feels worse.
Hopefully you love every inch of your home. For the price per square inch, it’s highly recommended. I’m fairly certain there are times when the view inside or out is just too much to take in. If a room or a particular area is causing pain in your eyes, your blood pressure to soar, your motivation to deflate, and your hopes to implode, here are some things you can try to recenter your compass in order to get moving, take effective action, and calm the visual hyper-stimulation.
Shift The View
Ever so slightly shifting the view at Red Butte Gardens, and there’s an entirely different panorama.
It’s ok to look away whether the scenery is luscious or perilous to your well-being. Sometimes a momentary switch is enough to shift the emotional struggles. Reenter with a new outlook. If it still feels to big, don virtual or actual blinders. Hold your hands by the sides of your eyes to create blinders, much like on a horse. This will help you to narrow down to a specific area to target. Start as small as you can, then work your way out to a larger scope little by little to contain amped emotions.
If you're still distracted while working in that area, cordon off boundaries with boxes, curtains or some type of divider so that you don’t see beyond the area you’re working on. Get as creative as you need to be to keep your cool.
Scale Down Before You Amp Up
Remove as much excess in your surroundings as you can until you feel less agitation. Too much furniture, too many accessories, even one too many pieces of art can cause heightened visual overload. I'm not suggesting barren rooms. Instead, find the decorative compromise sweet spot.
If you live with a "collector", ensure that you have a safe zone to retreat to. There are rooms in my house that I have to avoid. They belong to others. They get to keep them as they wish. I’m keenly aware of my reactions when I step foot inside, so I normally don’t.
Resource Assembly
Grab your toolbox. These include your literal and figurative tools before embarking on a task or project especially in a troublesome location. As with any project, fully resource yourself for action. Hydrate and eat protein to modulate blood sugar rollercoasters and ward off mood swings. If you’re physically or emotionally exhausted, defer until you have the energy. Don't forget to take your prescription meds or daily supplements if needed to keep you calm and focused. Ask someone else for physical and emotional assistance. Prior to heading to my garden, I plan to grab my phone and call a friend. That will distract me as I dig up weeds. I will be done before I know it.Knowing that our sense of sight has powerful impacts on our emotions, good and bad, when your friend says “wow, that’s magnificent” and you’re thinking, “holy hell”, how can you reorient when the scenery delivers a one-two punch? Remember, each of us processes and responds to our unique triggers and motivators differently. Beating yourself up isn’t useful. Find your balance in whatever works for you. Experiment, tweak, and grant yourself grace to screw up. I do more often than I care to admit.
