Sometimes you may find yourself on your sofa with a bunch of ideas for things you “should be” doing, but all of it seems daunting and overwhelming. It seems impossible to start.
So, what are some helpful things to do when this happens?
First of all, take a deep breath in and hold it for five seconds. Release it slowly by breathing out of your mouth. This helps to regulate your nervous system and generate a beginning feeling of calmness and acceptance. Do this a couple of more times, if you can.
I know that everyone talks about “deep breaths” and while in a moment of deep anxiety you may feel it doesn’t help much to calm you down, the more you have mindful breathing throughout the days, the more regulated you will stay overall. I find that holding your breath for at least five seconds truly calms the nervous system and gives you a moment of rest.
Next, get a pen (or pencil, or colored marker) and a piece of paper. An actual pen and piece of paper (not your phone!). This is what you will write down:
- How You Define Yourself [or how you want to define yourself] as an “I” statement in the PRESENT tense.
For example, you may write: “I am a healthy person”, or, “I value my family”, or, “I am strong and determined”. You will write it in the present tense, even if you don’t feel it in the present moment. This is akin to “fake it until you make it” as you will start to work towards becoming this person you defined even though you may not feel it now; it gets your mind and body into gear.
Say this statement out loud to yourself 3 times.
That’s it. One step (after the deep breath). One line. One piece of paper. Do this when you feel overwhelmed or stuck. And notice what happens for you. I am not trying to say that this will change everything, but it may just change one small thing in the moment, or in another moment at another time.
