How do you manage yourself when you’re in a low spin? Focusing on the things that aren’t working or that you haven’t done? That’s where I am at the moment.😞
It’s 3:45 in the afternoon and all I can think of about my day so far is: the argument I had with my husband – about the fence he’s erecting in the garden, but of course not really about the fence; how I made my daughter feel crap about the story she’s writing by pointing out her spelling errors before noticing the wonderful characters she’s created; the domestic chores I haven’t done; and, joy of joys, the 45 minutes I spent cleaning up the dog’s accident in the car on the way home from her first dog training class.😩
I have a choice, I can wait for the day to finish (seething with frustration and resentment) telling myself that tomorrow will be different, or I can find a way to turn it around.
So I’ve set daughter up watching Sing! in the living room, the dog on the patio (eating something no doubt), and husband keeping an eye on matters while I take half an hour for myself.
I’ve lit a candle, sipped some hot cacao and am now writing to you…my imaginary friend!
What has helped in the past?
1. Brain dump it all. Get a big bit of A3 paper and write down all the things that I haven’t done or that are causing me anxiety some sort. Those things that feel like an energy drain…and that I use as evidence for how sh*t I am.
2. Gather counter evidence. Make an accomplishment list of things I’m proud of from my past.
3. Say one of my personally meaningful affirmations in the mirror to myself: “I am enough. I matter and I’m capable.”
4. Read the gratitude list I keep at the front of my notebook. Add something to it.
5. Take my time! Relook at the list of things I said I wanted to do today. Choose one thing which makes the biggest difference to the rest of my day and do that first.
6. Chunk tasks in to 15 minutes. Give my full attention to it for that amount of time. I do that with my writing. I could do it with the 2 baskets of washing that are waiting to be hung up downstairs.
7. Let others know I’m struggling. Kind of am doing this one right now!
8. Put my attention on others, or on stuff which makes my heart sing. I like pushing my daughter on the swing: could spend 5 minutes doing that.
9. Send time with real people. Avoid any social media today. Phone my mum instead.
10. Make stuff. Just for the sheer sake of it. I could make a curry for supper…or buy one and sew new buttons on my jumpsuit while I wait for it!
So there I have it. My very own menu of ideas for getting myself out of a funk…..ooh, I’ll put that on my accomplishment list!😂
When you next find yourself having ‘one of those days’, I hope you find something in the above that can support you…or at least know that you’re not alone.👭
Let’s flourish together!
Love, Arlene x
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