
In my latest article, I’m sharing with you my own *survival skills set* for when worry and stress hit during life’s ups and downs.
I may be a Psychotherapist and a Life Coach, BUT I’m also a chronic worrier and a Social Anxieter.
In fact, that’s why I got into therapy and coaching!
I may know all the tricks and methods to manage and control my Anxieties, but life always throws something unexpected at me.(well, at all of us).
And it’s during the times like this that I need to remind myself of everything I teach my clients to do.
(And I’m good at it, unsurprisingly, having followed my methology for many years).
But I wouldn’t be a human being if significant life’s transitions didn’t throw me a little.
What’s more, a tiny bit of stress is helpful– I believe it keeps my mind focused on the important things (like problem-solving).
Currently, I’m facing such transition in my personal life.
And my chronic worry system is alerted and wanting to spring into a cycle of worry.
NO. No No No.
No.
The first feeling I had when I heard I had to make a significant life transition (even positive life transitions can bring worry and anxiety) was of being overwhelmed.
This is very normal for Anxiety sufferers.
Anxiety causes us to:
1. Over-Estimate the problem (or a ‘threat’);
2. And Under-Estimate our abilities to cope with it.
So here is what I’m doing to help myself COPE and not get overwhelmed:
1. I am DELEGATING all the tasks that I can, including turning to online food delivery and asking for help when and where I can;
2. I’m using my practical skills to cope with worry, for example:
WHAT is so worrying about this situation (especially when it’s for the better);
HOW to make it easier for (and ‘on’) myself;
WHEN can I do things (and what do I need to sacrifice);
WHY is it bothering me this much;
And WHERE can I make the all-important changes.
3. When Worry hits at night (and I think you all can probably relate to this- that annoying *chatterbox* turns on in our heads, endlessly planning ahead and coming up with ‘what ifs’), I am firm with myself to DEAL WITH MY QUESTIONS AND ‘WHAT IFS’ in the morning.
(I ALWAYS keep that promise to myself as I know MY BRAIN WON’T BELIEVE ME NEXT TIME if I don’t);
4. I am getting out my notepad out and WRITING DOWN WHAT I NEED TO DO every day.
This way, I may not have all the answers, but I may have PARTIAL ANSWERS, keeping in mind I CAN’T PREDICT WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN and therefore NOT WORRY ABOUT THINGS I CAN’T SOLVE.
My workshop *Understanding Worry* might be helpful here:
5. Lots of self-love. When I have a bad day, I look after myself, spoil myself and make sure my basic human needs are met. Good food, plenty of nice drinks (not alcohol), plenty of rest.
6. And most importantly:
I’m tackling SOLVABLE WORRIES head-on, using my Problem-Solving skills.
I’m STRICT with myself NOT TO worry about things I can’t solve l (like, is this the right decision?
Only time will tell- I’m doing the best I can for myself right now!)
Strangely, I thought I’d be busier than ever but having put all my problem-solving skills in place, I actually freed a lot of valuable time for my clients and family.
You may be thinking, it’s easy for her to cope like this when she’s got the tools to implement and help her through this.
But you can too.
During my *Mastery Of Worry* Program, I will guide you, step-by-step, into a worry-free world, even during tough life transitions:
Or book a complimentary consultation:
Further articles you may like:
The Art Of *Silence* When We Struggle With Social Anxiety
Oh, the Social Anxiety. It makes us QUIET when we'd love to say something, because we have all these negative thoughts about our communications skills, including: 1. I have nothing interesting to say. 2. Everyone will think I'm so boring. 3. I'd better not say anything- I might say [...]
Anxiety And Procrastination At Work
Can Anxiety cause Procrastination? Absolutely. Anxiety and Low Mood can both result in Procrastination at work. In this article, I'm going to take a closer look at what Procrastination is, and how to help yourself if you struggle with Anxiety AND procrastination. Let's start with Procrastination: First of all, people mistake procrastination [...]
Social Anxiety At Work
In this article, we are going to be looking at some of the most common symptoms of Social Anxiety at work. We’ll also look at the impact of untreated Social Anxiety on your career and professional relationships. What is Social Anxiety? Social Anxiety is a fear of Social Situations. [...]
9 Steps To Improving Your Assertiveness
I just delivered yet another Assertiveness Workshop and I'm feeling so pumped up! Buzzing, in fact. The amount of self-confidence it instantly gives you is amazing. So I've decided to give you my top tips (THAT WORK) on how to improve your Assertiveness Skills. There are 9 simple steps [...]
How To Get A Grip On Procrastination
Today, I was inspired to write about procrastination by a long-term, young client of mine. We've been working together for the past 2 years (on and off), as he struggles with Social Anxiety and Low Mood. A big symptom of both is procrastination, or a 'lack of motivation' [...]
How To Tolerate Uncertainty
Do we need to know EVERYTHING about events that haven't happened yet? One of the hardest things we have to deal with, when we struggle with Anxiety, is uncertainty of life. In other words, the fear of 'tomorrow' (or even the next hour, next few [...]