I get this. Not to use what you got can kill your soul–

I’m using a pretty sizeable chunk of mine, but not all, that’s for sure – and some of what i’m not using is a big deal.

I often wonder if this is related to the natal condition of saturn and/or mars

moonpluto, I’ve noticed how peeps with strong mars/saturn aspects, can be superiorly effective at utilizing their skills, which they likely have honed to a T to begin with.

for me I want to say not well enough but that such a Saturn thing to say – dont bother if its not perfect argh that insure 0% effectiveness.

Actually, I think this is a human quality. People are not made to sit around all day and when they do, their bodies degrade.

A brain also degrades if not put to use, as do social skills and everything else you can think of. Skills perish. I mean if you type 70 wpm and you don’t type for 10 years, you no longer type 70 wpm.

Use it or lose it!!

This reminds me of that IQ study they just came out with – if you test at a high IQ at 4 years old, if you don’t keep it up or keep challenging yourself, you’ll be one of the 75% percent that have an average IQ by 18.

Which, brings up your question, Elsa, of when children should learn responsibility for themselves instead of being coddled.

Anyway, the vice versa is also true, as well.

Yes, but I also think that even skills that are unused contribute to the sum of what you are. If you have developed lots of skills, it will probably be difficult or inappropriate to be using them all, all the time. But the fact that you worked to get those skills makes you a fuller human being, more able and versatile now than you were in the past. It’s part of what gives you substance and stature as a life. A retired athlete is no longer an athlete, but they will have a bearing that is unmistakeable.

This perspective matches the experiences my husband and I are having. Part of this comes from being part of the Boomer Generation with a very mixed bag of expectation, rebellion and working to get our gifts and skills in place. I have a packed 8th house of deaths and rebirth with Saturn and Pluto constantly teaching me to live.

Like you Elsa, I have learned that from all the deaths and rebirths. I appreciate being able to use all the skills to:
1. live from a tiny space that suits my needs
2. find wonderful partners and situations where we are supported; and we can support
3. work hard at being authentic, make adjustments yet remain essential: ‘yes, this is what it takes for me to live.’
4. count my blessings and communicate, communicate compassionately and creatively

You remind me of a woman computer tech friend, she wrote the book on Unix (really, I bought her book long before I ever knew her). One day she was complaining her server was down and she was having a really bad day, she was overwhelmed with the recovery work.
I told her, quite the contrary, she was having a really GOOD day. All those tech skills she had spent her lifetime refining were now in full use. I was sure she would save the day with some stroke of genius. And she did get her server running that day.

As for me, I’m idle and irritable. I just spent months setting up a new advanced computer project for a company, now I’m kicked out and they’re proceeding with my plans, without me. Lovely.