I am not one who welcomes change. I prefer my routine; I get annoyed when someone picks "my bike*" for my Thursday morning cycling class (*note, it's not my bike, it's public, you just have to sign up, but I love my 'Larry Bird' bike...it's number 33). I take a little time to adjust, maybe a month I hate to say it, and then I am adapted to my new routine. I've noticed that for the past few weeks I've been highly anxious, on edge, and little things caused me to experience mind-numbing anxiety. I literally blank and just want to go to sleep, it's like my brain shuts down. The last time I had this kind of anxiety was when I was working a really difficult and demanding job, so unfortunately it is familiar.
How am I staying balanced and trying to avoid being consumed by said anxiety? Well, I'm making sure I am back into my exercise routine. I had taken a couple weeks off after a cold and another issue, but I've been trying to get back at it. I'm also trying to eat healthy during the week, I went back to some easy quick recipes and even made some cool new ones (Autumn Butternut Squash Apple and Orange soup, anyone?); I know that my diet can also really affect my mood.
In addition to exercising and maintaining a healthier diet, I am also trying to remember that lots of these little issues that bother me will likely be irrelevant in a week. I tell myself to focus on one thing at a time, mainly one stressor at a time, and then I can attempt to calmly work through whatever it is. Sometimes pausing and talking to ourselves rationally can help, taking that step back and looking at the issue from a different perspective... Also recognizing why maybe something small can feel so big and stressful; life is too short to sweat the small stuff, as they say. There are bigger things to worry about, and we should trust that things will always work themselves out.
And if all this doesn't work, have a glass of wine and go sit in a hot bath with lavender essential oil and play some spa music!
xx
S