Taking on the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune......

In the world today, the storms of uncertainty are howling with gale force winds.  Our fathers and grandfathers had one or two jobs in their lifetimes -- now it seems everyone has to reinvent themselves every few years.  And it's not clear that even that will allow us to sail through life with equanimity.

The advice we get from various well-meaning gurus is that we should all become entreprenuers, freelancers, contractors.   None of this seems like the basis for a life that has any hope of serenity in it.

I've been spending way too much time thinking about and learning how to manage my internal state when the winds come a-flying.  I know intellectually that worry is not productive.  If something is a cause for concern, do what can be done.  Otherwise dont. Worry adds nothing to the process.  But when worry grabs my noggin, it can seem that I'm helpless to squelch it.  Shit, sometimes worry will wake me out of a sound sleep.

So, I try techniques to handle the storms of worry and anxiety.  Be grateful, says one guru.  Gratitude and worry can't coexist.  Think positively, says another.  Create a habit, says another, so that the "cue" of a worried state kicks off automatic behavior to address it.  Meditate.  BE mindful.

A lot of books are being sold on the backs of the worry industry.  All of these techniques are helpful to one or another degree.  But should we really be spending this much energy on dealing with our hyperchanging environment?

I don't have the answer.  But maybe we should be asking the question...