
The unfortunate phrase “doubling down” has been used so often by mainstream media that it’s become kind of bland, and it shouldn’t be. It’s gambling language, and it is used to frame a situation where bad is becoming worse, then becoming horrible.
Let’s say you’ve placed a bet of $50, and you lost. Doubling down? Okay, now you lose $100. Doubling again? You just lost $200. Keep going – just by denying reality, you can turn a $50 loss into a $500 loss. But don’t stop there – you can lose $1000.
Every time I hear that someone is “doubling down'” on the Big Lie, or some other easily disproved misinformation, I’m hearing a tragic loss on it’s way to an epic disaster.
In the meditation community, there’s a sly bit of wisdom that says if you don’t have time to meditate for 15 minutes, then you should sit for half an hour. At least.
The number of people I know coping with severe stress who don’t allow themselves the time to do some self care continues to grow. It’s also self-recognition; I’m guilty of self neglect in some pretty essential categories. So, I’m reminding myself to double up, too.
Right now, with people feeling so overwhelmed, it’s a good moment to double up. Take more time to relax, to enjoy the beauty, to do the simple things that feel good.
A quote attributed to Winston Churchill notes that when he was told that, because of the war effort, funding for the arts would have to be cut. Churchill asked “Then what are we fighting for?”
Freedom isn’t something we can save for another time. If we aren’t enjoying it now, there just won’t be as much to enjoy later.
Double up on naps and novels. Have more music. Take a walk and notice the trees. Let the right side of your brain do the thinking; it really is where the best ideas come from.
Judith Martin-Straw