If you're trying to reduce feelings of overwhelm, anxiety and self-criticism, this might help.
It’s Saturday afternoon and I’m fighting back the urge to take a nap, at least until this post is done. It’s been a long week. The kind that makes you want to curl up on Friday night in sweats with a glass of wine and lose yourself in a book that makes you feel like there’s still a chance to win at life. For me right now, that’s Emily Ley’s, Simplified Life. I love the message her book bestows - doing less, expecting less, and giving yourself a LOT more grace. Her planners are gorgeous, too.
Life has been testing me lately.
I’ve been dealing with things that trigger insecurity and lack of control. It got so bad on Thursday that when I went for a run, I could barely breathe. Maybe it was a panic attack? When life gets like this for me, I have to quickly pull out my anxiety tools or I’ll continue to spiral into a feeling of overwhelming. My tools are so obvious and cliche that I almost don’t want to share them, but honestly, they work for me. In fact, they’re probably obvious and cliche because they work so well. So if you’re feeling like you’re not yourself lately, hopefully, these tools might help.
- I start my day with a quick meditation using the Insight Meditation App. Tara Brach’s RAIN of Self-Compassion is my favorite. I am also loving Beachbody's Unstress Meditation Program.
- I journal two pages of anything. Mostly I gripe about work or dreams that haven’t yet materialized, but somehow expressing frustration on paper helps to get it off my heart
- I run. I have a love/hate relationship with running, but when I need to get emotions sorted, there’s no better cure (other than….)
- I do Yoga. Oh, I don’t think I’ve ever regretted rolling out my mat to release pressure and tension. You can see a list of my favorite online classes right here.
- I sleep more. I know this is hard for women because our lives are already overstuffed, but if you take Emily’s advice and simplify, you’ll start to see more space for this precious act of self-care.
- I stay home. I’m already a homebody, but when I’m feeling out-of-sorts, nothing feels more nourishing then spending a night on the sofa in my yoga pants, surrounded by my pups and hubby (<- it's an INFP thing)
- I focus on eating good mood food. Yep, there are certain foods that can trigger anxiety and others that can help you feel grounded and peaceful. Who knew?
Lingering on Self-Care & Acceptance
Enough about me. I want to share some feel-goodness with you this weekend. Last week I talked about mindset and how important it is, not just for reaching goals, but for your health and wellbeing. It was World Mental Health Day this week and in light of some of the great minds we’ve lost this year to depression, I want to linger on this theme of self-care, self-acceptance and simplifying life a little longer. Certainly, these are not a cure-all for mental illness, but they’re small, tangible steps that can make life a little brighter when the feelings of overwhelm come.
On Self-Care
On Negative Self-Talk
On Creating a Balanced Life
On meditating to reduce stress and anxiety
How to Build Self-Discipline to Achieve Your Health & Weight Loss Goals
Caren is a certified yoga teacher, fitness instructor and author of The Fit Habit. Here she shares simple, low carb recipes, quick home workout ideas and practical ways to foster mind + body wellness.
Amy
Funny. These are almost exactly the steps I take. I was reading and thought wait ... I use that app too. I recently started a big race but was unable to finish (which is a first for me) and living with that choice has rocked my world. So i’ve Been all about meditating - journaling, running, being intentional. Good stuff here. I’m actually doing a last 60 days of the year push to help me stay focused through the last 2-months of the year. Thank you for sharing.
c m
You're very welcome, Amy. Sorry the race didn't work out for you. I've done one half-ironman and it took the better part of 6 months at 20 hours a week of training. It would have been a blow for me not to finish after that much investment, so I feel your pain.