I can’t count the amount of times I haven’t slept because I was worried about something. One thought leads to another until all of a sudden your alarm is going off.
What I’ve learned from this is that I need to stop forcing myself to be relaxed. Sometimes, simple worries turn into spirals simply because I fight them. Well, guess what, stress and anxiety happen. But, it’s like a monster, all you have to do is tame it. If you name it, let it pass, and move on it should go away (or at least be much less scary).
That’s easier said than done though. It’s hard to remember to slow down when you’re in the heat of the moment. We should all try to slow down when moments get tense. A simple deep breath usually works for me, but I find that sometimes even closing your eyes makes a moment better. Then, once you’re calm enough to truly think, remember that things are only as big as you make them.
Your body follows your mind, so if you make something a big deal, your body will follow and think it’s a big deal. If you realize that most things are smaller than you think, your body will follow and be more relaxed. It’s a delicate balancing act that I’ve yet to master.
But we can all work through things together. No one is truly alone. So, if you find yourself spiraling and it doesn’t pass, sometimes it helps me to remember I have people that will listen and help me. We all do. Never hesitate to reach out to someone. It is never a bother if it affects your health, and mental health is health. You would tell people if you were in the hospital, so tell people if you’re struggling mentally too.
Stress and anxiety are a fact of life. Unfortunately, there is no way around it other than taming the monster together.
Until next time,
Ella Greene
