By: Katie Lisbon CPLC
Many people from all walks of life are all too familiar with the overwhelming feelings of uncertainty and anxiousness. Especially during stressful times like this never ending pandemic. As a country we are facing many challenges and adapting to policies that have been put in place. Its understandable that we are all trying to navigate these changes and figure out how this will impact our lives individually and as a whole. These feelings don’t only arise as a response to world news, they can also appear in your career, your relationships, or any life circumstances.
I Got an A, That’s Good, Right?
Many type A personalities thrive on structure, responsibility, and organization. You will often find these personalities in management or an authoritative roles. Type A personalities feel at their best when they are in control, they often try to stay ahead of the curve, armed and ready for whatever life throws their ways. But this can create much unnecessary stress and anxiety. If you classify yourself as a type A personality, learning that not everything in life needs to be controlled can be a helpful tool. Another popular trait often found in type A personalities is ambition. What if this could apply this ambition to learning how to adapt to new challenges instead of always trying to be the one on top. Uncertainty does not have to be the enemy, in fact, learning to embrace uncertainty from a place rooted deep within by activating your self-awareness, can ignite more positive emotions. By doing so, you can transform your reality and eradicating feelings of fear and uncertainty. Meditation and journaling are two of the most helpful ways to bring forth self-awareness. As with any new skill, meditation and/or journaling require practice and some individuals may require more practice than others to feel the effects. Overtime, you will discover a new found sense of peace, a greater sense of self-awareness and a freedom from unwelcome stress and anxiety.
Fear Doesn’t Have A Hold On Me
Self-doubt and fear can be paralyzing emotions that can blind us to best options right in front of us. Just because you have fear, or are experiencing self doubt, does not mean you don’t have the capacity to handle the challenges before you or the ability to personally grow and develop from the situation. Don’t let past experiences or past disappointments undermine the possibilities of your future or the here and now. You have grown since your previous experience and you have the ability to create a different outcome. When you recognize that your fears and worries are an illusion you will gain a sense of freedom from these emotions and you will learn to live more hopeful and fearless. This new fearlessness will transform your daily thoughts, feelings, and even your actions. This in turn will making life easier, more enjoyable, and most importantly free from anxiety.
Today Is A New Day
Once you have a greater understanding of where your anxiety comes from you now have a greater understanding how to combat your anxiety. Starting your day with a strong morning routine that encourages you to set a strong intention for the day. This very well could be the missing link in your life and the first steps to activating your self-awareness. So many successful people share the same belief that a good day free of worry and anxiety starts with a strong morning routine.
Step one, give yourself enough time, I emphasize on the yourself part. Too often, people sacrifice their self-importance before anything else. You can not give your best self to the world if your cup is empty! Beginning this new journey by developing a strong sleeping routine, going to bed and getting up the same time every morning. Even if you are not a morning person, waking up will start to feel like a more natural habit then a forced behavior hitting the snooze button, over, and over, and over.
Step two, dedicate a portion of your morning to meditating or journaling to bring forth your self-awareness. This does not have to be a long session, you can start with 10 minutes and build out this time as you see fit. Use this time to journal about what you are grateful for, what would make this day great, or if you choose to meditate focus on the areas of your body where you feel most impacted by stress or anxiety and fill those areas with positive emotions.
Step three, incorporate exercise, taking a morning walk for 20 – 30 minutes can help get the blood circulating in the body and leave you feeling invigorated to start your day. This again, does not need to be a strenuous activity. Start with a short distance at a slow pace, and admire the nature around you. During your walk take a few deep breaths of the fresh air and feel your body come alive.
Now that you have set your intention to have a great day free of stress and anxiety. Continue your morning by resuming the remaining tasks of your normal morning routine. Remember to remain aware of how these small changes impacted your day. Through repetition and strong practice you will experience a strong sense of self-awareness and you will feel less impacted by negative emotions of uncertainty, self-doubt, fear, stress, and anxiety.