*
Can We Really Define Chaos?
Let’s imagine you are in the deep woods taking a hike. This overgrown forest seems beautiful where every tree, plant and critter has found a perfect home and is in peace with the environment around it.
But, has this place been like this in perfect harmony at all times? That thought reminds you about the forecast of a thunderstorm this evening. Suddenly, the “order” you’re experiencing this minute doesn’t seem like a likely prelude to how “chaotic” things might look after the storm. Doesn’t it seem like a perfect state of order can be fleeting too?
Similarly, for someone who doesn’t understand the beauty of birth, a sprouting seed can look like destruction and its surroundings, the soil, the shooting root and stem coming out of a perfect seed might feel like chaos.
*
Why Do We Find Our World Chaotic?
Let’s first understand why we think of chaos as something that causes mayhem in our lives. Have you noticed how the pride you feel about yourself for keeping a clean desk, a clean home or a clean car turns into bitter self hatred for the slightest infraction in “orderliness”? That is because we have told ourselves that “order” is the true nature of things, while “chaos” is the ultimate disruption of the way things were really meant to be.
We spend hours carefully and attentively attending to the fuss and chaos in our lives instead of seeing things as they are. We find daily news chaotic, people prejudicial, borders of countries unstable and our lives in a big royal mess. Because things haven’t turned out our way, we pray for anything different than the current outcome. We pray for something less tragic.
We live in a world where we want to make sense of everything that’s happening around us. As a result, anything that doesn’t fit the rationale must be chaotic. Because our left brains like logic, we draw probable conclusions out of people’s actions and cautionary lessons over their violent and hateful acts.
But then, we don’t see major scientific discoveries, trying to find a life partner, child birth as chaotic. Because, that’s how “life happens.” Sometimes, we also mistake change for chaos and status quo for order.
Clutter and chaos give us anxiety and order brings sanity and pride. That’s why we want order to prevail over unpredictability and randomness.
*
How Does Chaos Find Us?
- When its forced upon us due to circumstances out of our control.
- Or when we find ourselves in unfavorable situations even though they were a direct result of our choices.
- Or when we end up giving too much credit to our feelings and emotions – getting our emotions up in turmoil.
*
How Can We Deal With Chaos:
First, lets take a stack of who’s lived in a perfectly ordered physical space for more than a few minutes at a time. Or found a perfectly ordered mental space for more than a fraction of a second?
Now, that we’ve no show of hands, lets see how we can deal with chaos instead of winning it.
Because we’ve stopped living close to mother nature, we’re living with these new definitions of how things are meant to be – imagining our world to be perfectly in order and in harmony with everything within it. Clean sidewalks, tall shiny glass windows are all man made, mother earth still has its share of droughts, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions.
Inspite of you being a super planner and a master organizer, shit will always pile up in life. Step away from the chaos and be a witness to it. Center yourself. Realize that you’re not chaotic, your emotions, your environment, your child’s life or your work atmosphere probably is. Begin by changing your definitions of clutter and chaos.
*
Why We Should Embrace Chaos:
We live in a transitional world, so fluid and ever changing that there are no guarantees for anything. In such a world, it pays maintain composure and keep our emotions in check. Seeing chaos as opportunity propels us easily into impending changes in our life and work that are beyond our control.
Understanding that birth and creation are transitional and necessary for growth help us manage what we might otherwise perceive as chaos.
Seeing change for what it is, rather than disruption, makes problem solving easy. Seeing chaos as an antidote to being inert and passive enables us to grow out of stagnation. Embracing chaos helps us thrive inspite of unexpected events. Because we’re are not afraid of exploring different possibilities to solve problems.
*
Conclusion:
Just like how order is not the permanent nature of things, chaos is also fleeting and transitional in our lives that has so many variables that are beyond our control. Taoists have the Yin Yang symbolism to depict just this.
Yin is the Black serpent representing chaos with a white dot in the center indicating that order can be found even in the midst of chaos. Similarly Yang is the White serpent representing order with a black dot in the center indicating that chaos can erupt anytime in the midst of order.
Just look at life itself. The upheaval surrounding a father’s death isn’t truly reflected on a death certificate. The “falling apart” of a marriage doesn’t happen overnight, it is a series of events that lead upto the catastrophic breaking point.
Come to think of it, order can be oppressive too. Embrace creativity and chaos, because the opposite is normal, common and already known. Isn’t that boring? Think of life as a busy fair, and imagine you’re seeking the perfect merry-go-round to hop on. What do you notice all around as you search for the perfect dream ride – Chaos or celebration?
*
*
Concordia discors (Harmony in discord). ~ Horace
* * *
About The Article Author:
Our mission with FutureSTRONG Academy – to grow children who respect themselves, their time and their capabilities in a world where distractions are just a click or a swipe away.
I see myself as an advocate for bringing social, emotional and character development to families, schools and communities. I never want to let this idea out of my sight – Our children are not just GPAs. I’m a Writer and a Certified Master Coach in NLP and CBT. Until 2017, I was also a Big Data Scientist. In December of 2044, I hope to win the Nobel. Namasté.
Write to me or call me. Tell me what support from me looks like.
Rachana Nadella-Somayajula,
Program Director & Essential Life Skills Coach for Kids and Busy Parents
CLARITY - A Pillar of FutureSTRONG Academy
Our children will one day face the real world without our support. Academic development is not the only skill they will need in the real world where people skills like taking the lead, emotional intelligence and a strong moral compass will determine who will shine. So, as parents who want to raise well rounded adults, we want to give them the right tools for their personal development.
Here is CLARITY as described as the 6 C’s of Future STRONG.
Find Below Better Strategies On CLARITY
Schools Are Seeing A Surge In Violence From Students. What Can Be Done?
* https://youtu.be/rB7CZQfWjWw * Want To Listen To The Article Instead? * Cited Works: --https://fortune.com/2023/09/24/why-high-school-students-violent-dangerous-pandemic-solutions-discipline/...
Effective Parenting 101: For Parents And Children Of The Technology World
* For parenting to be effective, we need to first understand and adjust our mindset. What are our fears for our children, do we love them for who they are or what they're capable of becoming? What do we truly want as parents? Let's look at a few things we do...
Here’s How To Have Positive Mental Health At Any Age Inspite Of Developmental & Life Changes
* What Is Positive Mental Health? When we're talking about mental health, we must go beyond psychopathology. Psychopathology is mental illness. How to check for positive mental health? Answering the question once in a while if "I'm doing everything I can in my...
GPA Might Help Make A Living But Teens Need Life Skills To Make A Great Life
* Here’s a checklist of all the life skills a high schooler must be exposed to before he or she is sent off to college. Why a checklist? High achieving youth are fast becoming the biggest “at-risk” group of the world. With a weak resilience muscle and a lack of...
Hiding In Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness Documentary – A Review Part IV
* Part III: Continued from PART III HERE. * Cutting And Pain Relief: Addiction is like chasing an obsession. People often can't think of a way out of it. "Saying stop it," won't work. People will always go back to their symptom relieving ways if...
Hiding In Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness Documentary – A Review Part III
* Part II: Continued from PART II HERE. * Signs Of Mental Health Issues: For some anxiety can be the "force that's pushing me about everything that's wrong." Then there's the sexual assault horrors that we are made aware of. "My ex boyfriend...
Hiding In Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness Documentary – A Review Part II
* Part I: Continued from PART I HERE. * Kids And Teens Speak Up: Kids and adolescents deal with mental health challenges differently. Kids want to isolate, and not tell anyone. Because in their little brains, things can be confusing and if...
Hiding In Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness Documentary – A Review
* Sierra Nevada As A Witness: On the lookout point called Mirador de San Nicolás, I stood on the side waiting for someone to click a picture of our family. Our backdrop would be the Alhambra (one of the most famous monuments of Islamic architecture located in...
Our True Nature Is Bliss To Begin With. So, How Do We End Up With Strifes, Wars, And Revolutions?
* Here's an amusing fact about our lives. The intent behind every act of ours is either in anticipation of permanent relief or temporary alleviation of some sorrow. It's funny, isn't it? At a personal level when something or someone is giving us grief, it's...
From Training To Testing: A Love Letter To The Child Going Off To College
* I timed this, it's a 6 minute read. You're moving away. And here I am, while you are packing to leave, watching videos of drunk people doing dumb shit. All the while wondering what pressures you will have to succumb to as a freshman. At the same time, I tell...
How True Freedom Knows Boundaries
* Our True Aspirations: If I ask you what you want in life, you might say, recognition, a handsome income, and a comfortable life. But, what about the most important reason why any of the things we want in life matter? Our personal freedom. Don't believe me?...
What Is Your Strength – The Courage To Be Different And Other Ideas From Teen Essays
* Here are a series of Strength essays by teenagers in a school in inner city Atlanta. * * * * * * * Our mission with FutureSTRONG Academy – to grow children who respect themselves, their time and their capabilities in a world...
Questions, just ask!
Text or Call: 678.310.5025 | Email: info@futurestrongacademy.com
Bringing a Group? Email us for a special price!
Trackbacks/Pingbacks