My last blog was about finding purpose, "5 Essential Questions to Lead You to Your Calling." In this blog I want to address another calling -- nature's calling. And there is only one answer to that calling: When nature calls, we must honor it.
I was recently at a meeting with a young girlfriend. She's a passionate entrepreneur, and I was introducing her to some investors for her new venture. The meeting lasted about an hour and a half, and it went very well. As we were leaving and going down the elevator to exit, my friend grabbed my arm, crossed her legs and in a panic said, "We have to find a bathroom right away because I am dying to pee." I looked at her in amazement and asked her, "Why didn't you go to the bathroom while we were in the meeting?" She responded, "Oh no, I wouldn't do that. I didn't want to interrupt the meeting." We ran to find her a restroom at a restaurant next door and when she came out I said to her, "Here's a piece of advice. Honor your bladder first, and if you do, you are going to be much more present in everything you do. It doesn't matter where you are, what you are doing, how important the meeting is, who you are with. First and foremost you must honor nature's calling."
After speaking at an event recently, I had a similar experience. I was signing books and kept wanting to go to the bathroom, but there was a long line. So I kept going, and an hour later I turned to a girl who was helping me and said, "I MUST go to the bathroom," and she said, "just go," as if I needed permission for somebody to tell me it was okay to go. I ran to the bathroom, came back and everyone was of course still in line waiting for me. Since then I have spoken to many friends and they have all shared with me that they often too delay going to the bathroom not to interrupt whatever they are involved in. So it got me thinking: What is the issue?
If we do not listen to our basic needs, eat when we are hungry, sleep when we are tired, stretch when our body is tense, or drink water when we are thirsty, what other signals are we ignoring? What else in ourselves are we neglecting? Why do you think we do that? Could it be that we don't want to appear normal, vulnerable, of human or that it may cause the wrong impression? Or do we think our meetings are more important than our physical well-being?
Our basic need to go to the bathroom, to eat and to sleep are completely natural urges, and if we suppress them for the sake of what we consider social correctness, we are paying a price.
It is interesting that Michael Bloomberg, during his radio show this week, stated as one of the keys to success, "Take the fewest vacations and the least time away from the desk to go to the bathroom or have lunch." I say the opposite. Take as many bathroom breaks as you need, recharge in every way you can and return to work renewed and full of energy instead of dragging yourself, and I promise you you are going to be way more productive and, yes, even more successful. Dear Mr. Mayor: When it comes to the question to pee or not to pee, there is no question. Make the time. Interrupt the meeting. Excuse yourself. Visit the closest bathroom.
Do women do this more often than men and why? You must all have a story or two. Would you share it with us?
For more by Agapi Stassinopoulos, click here.
For more on emotional wellness, click here.
Visit Agapi's website Unbindingtheheart.com.