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Eighty-eight floors up and I did not feel grounded. That was the intention. The Skywalk and viewing platform atop the Eureka Tower is designed to push a few comfort zones. This week’s Daily Press photo challenge encourages us to point the camera down, to see what is beneath our feet.
Grounded is one of those funny terms that seems to contradict itself. In one sense, it is used to describe someone who is sensible with a good understanding of life. In another, it refers to a ship that has run ashore, stranded somewhere it isn’t supposed to be.
Can one be a well grounded person who is actually stranded? I think so.
We all need to go to new places and see new things. It is good for our mental well being. But for some, the brain says “No”.
An explanation for this popped up on TV a few weeks ago. Michael Mosley was doing one of his self-experiments, this time trying to be less pessimistic. He worried he was worrying too much and it affected his sleep.
Turns out, there are two areas of our brain that should be finely balanced but sometimes aren’t. On one side, we are encouraged to be safe. On the other side, we are encouraged to take risks. If not balanced, we could be wildly pessimistic and worry furiously about things we don’t need to worry about, or we could be wildly optimistic and happily place ourselves (and others) in danger with no regard for the consequences.
Turns out, our life experiences can determine the tipping point in this balancing act.
Mine, I regret to say, has moved too far from the middle for my liking.
Standing 88 floors up and looking down at the Yarra River below was another reminder to myself that I can be the person I once was.
Unfortunately, that’s not always comfortable for the people around me.
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References
Michael Mosely, “Can science explain why I’m a pessimist?”, BBC Magazine, 10 July 2013. http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-23229014
Cherrie Zell 
What are your thoughts?