Tummy ache

I met someone recently who was working too hard and no longer trusted their own judgment. In particular, the stresses of the job, the range of responsibilities, were making everything a source of tension: so much so that they were getting a tummy ache simply thinking about the tasks in hand.

Tummy aches are a wonderful indicator of what we should be doing. Our intellects can find the value in a number of tasks; but our bodies can tell us quite clearly that this is not something we should be doing, either because it is not in keeping with our real interests or because it is morally wrong. We want to expand our horizons, take on new tasks, grow into new roles and responsibilities, and it is right that we should be nervous about such unknowns. But there is a difference between apprehension and dismay, between wondering whether we are up to a new task, whether we can learn enough and fast enough, and that Kafka-esque state where we can rationalise the most uncomfortable situation which is not in our best interests.

Too much work and responsibility overwhelms the indicator, makes everything too much, so that a tummy ache ceases to point to any direction and, instead, suggests we should lie down for a while and relax.