Coping With Stress And Anxiety
Some of you can relate to the title of this post, especially around the holiday season. Our to-do lists are a mile long; we’re eating things that we know we shouldn’t, but what the heck? It’s the holidays! We overcommit because it’s that time of year, and we know it will soon come to abrupt halt.
For me, anxiety brings on a host of symptoms. My digestion always takes a huge hit, and I’m dealing with stomach issues, hot flashes, and skin rashes. These symptoms are brought on by not paying attention to my thoughts and feelings, all the while placing blame on outside circumstances, instead of accepting that my thoughts of what is happing is what’s causing me pain. Yes, I said it! Our thoughts and emotions bring on our suffering, and our emotions are running the show. They dictate how we live our lives and have a great deal of impact our health.
I always know when I am out of balance because I get a wake-up-call with symptoms that show me my body’s eco system is out of balance.
“When a symptom shows up, listen to it, play detective, and ask yourself, “What am I not paying attention to, that is causing me to feel this way?”
Recently, I realized that I was placing all of my attention on all the things that I felt were wrong, that shouldn’t be happening or I wish were not happening. And, those thoughts served my ego, and served my victim mentality, but they did not serve my mental health.
So my intuition kicked in, and said, “You need to make a shift Donna, re-route these negative thoughts!” That is when I put on Wayne Dyer’s podcast and listened to him serving others who called into his show, who felt trapped in situations that seemed hopeless to them, but after having a conversation with Wayne, they were in peace. His words of wisdom spoke directly to my heart. He reminded me that we are all here just to be ourselves and to serve others with love and compassion, and we must get out of our egos! We’re placing importance on meaningless things. Wow, I needed that!
Soon after I listened to the podcast, I received a call from a friend, who truly helped me see the light. The universe always serves me what I’m focusing on, so I’m grateful I was focusing on what matters, not the opposite. My shift happened!
Happiness, joy, and love, are our birthright, and anything short of that are just things we believe are important but really, are not. As Wayne pointed out to one of the callers, “When we die, we don’t wish we had more hours at work; we wish we had more time to play, to have fun, and to be with those whom we love.”
When we stray from our authentic self, it means we’re out of alignment, we’re not paying attention to what matters, to what’s important. We’re not experiencing all that is in this life, without placing judgment. And, as Wayne said….
“We are spiritual beings, having a human experience, not the other way around, which is what most people think.”
So Let’s Rethink Anxiety, Let’s Look At The Bigger Picture
If we don’t address our anxiety, our body will hand us symptoms. One of my least favorite symptoms that showed up for me a few years ago was chronic insomnia. I would go all night and not sleep. My anxiety was in overdrive, and I wasn’t addressing why I was not sleeping. I ignored my symptoms until I could no longer do so. Sleep is what helps us rest and restore our body into homeostasis. Sleep is the number one thing we need to maintain health and we need to set it as a priority to feel our best. I’m grateful that I addressed my severe bought of insomnia when I did and got my sleep (and my mind) back in balance. It required me to seek help from a functional medicine practitioner. When it comes to our health, we need to remember that it is our job to do whatever is necessary to get to the root of our health issue.
Don’t Negate Quiet Time
When we feel stressed, that’s a clear indication that we’re in overdrive, overcommitted, and not paying attention to our emotional well-being. One of the best tools to help you get back into balance is to shut off all of your stimuli, the phone, Facebook, Instagram, computer, tablet, and be in silence. Go for a walk in nature. Release all of those negative thoughts, and remember all those things you’re grateful for. Simple things like your home, your family, your dog, your shoes, whatever makes your heart sing.
The gift I want to give you this holiday season is to remember to sit, walk, or just be in silence. Clear out the noise and the clutter robbing you of of your joy. You’ll see things differently and begin to appreciate all that you have.
PS: On a personal note, I have taken a step back from actively doing these posts, as well as social media outreach, my detox programs, workshops, etc. I have intentionally taken some time to deal with a personal family issue that requires my attention. I understand the importance of practicing self-care when it comes to our personal health. As things begin to improve, I’ll be rolling out new programs in 2019, and will offer more hands-on personal coaching within my group programs. I believe there is so much power in a group. I will also be publishing my next book, Finding Health Not Dis-Ease As You Age, and am working on developing a specific program around that as well.
Taking this time now is important for me, and I hope you take the time if you feel you need to do the same.
Wishing you a healthy and joyful holiday season!