let it go – Page 2

Schedule Worry Time

Worry is all around us. We all feel overwhelmed, out of control and filled with uncertainty.

Don’t deny it, schedule it! Give yourself time to examine your worry.

Ask the question…do I have control over this worry right now, today?

If yes-take action! Call a friend. Do the thing. Move into the fear & do something besides worry.

If no- let it go! Save the worry for later.

Do not let it clog up your mind & take up space when you have no control in this moment.

When worry time is up, clock out! That’s it …until next time.

Take control where you can. The key is figuring out when & where that is.

How’s your week? What are you doing to take care of yourself? Have you made self-care a part of your daily life? Are you a priority to you? Do you squeeze in six minutes a day for self-care? (This is not the part where you list your excuses – it’s the part where you just begin).

How do you start? Let’s review where we’ve been so far:

Attitude of Gratitude – Every day brings opportunity to be thankful. While miracles and life-altering experiences are wonderful, everyday occurrences are full of reasons for appreciation. Seek out gratitude every single day in a concrete way and your perspective will change. People are wishing for what you have today.

Thank You is a Complete Sentence -Period. When we explain away a compliment, we dismiss the importance of the person giving it. You look beautiful and strong whether you are wearing black or any other color from the clearance or couture rack. Your hair is on point whether you just stepped out of the salon or it’s day 3 of dry shampoo. Just say thank you and accept the grace you have been given.

The Practice of Letting Go – Easier said than done, of course, and a practice that requires practice. Arm yourself will weapons to defend against the anxiety beast. Take a breath. Find a release. Let go and hold on to something bigger than you. Stress will exist as long as there is breath in our lungs, but the beast can be put to rest when we practice letting go.

A Simple Shuttle Launch -Connect! Are you feeling like you are on an island fighting the anxiety beast in a solo mission? Pick up the phone and reach out to a firehouse friend NOW! Taking care of yourself includes connecting to those who love you. Send a text. Make a call. Schedule a girls night. Just reach out and feel the power in the bond of friendship.

What Are You About? – Don’t forget about the SELF part of self-care. Connect and find comfort in you. Stop being your harshest critic and practice accepting you – all of you. Stay in the moment and be mindful of your thoughts. It can be dangerous walking around in your mind alone, so practice managing your thoughts and be your own biggest fan.

Practice Imperfectly – JUST DO IT! Journaling on the porch. Deep breathing at the red light. It doesn’t need to be post-worthy to be worth-while of your time. There is no right way to be kind to yourself.

Expectations Are Pre-existing Resentments – Schedule time for nothingness. Sit still. Stop with the 20-item-To-Do-List. Your entire life doesn’t require an agenda. Let life create moments you can be present in.

Well, that’s a wrap! Here is your “self-care-cheat-sheet”. Please share how you practice! Let me know what works and what doesn’t.

Thanks for reading & have a great day!

The Practice of Letting It Go

Well, glad you feel better, Ruby. Release is good. Relieving stress in a healthy, less aggressive way is even better. The first day of anything brings excitement along with stressors. What will I wear? What will they wear? Who will be there? What will happen while I’m there? Will I forget something or walk into the room with only my underwear?

Anxiety is a beast that lays in the dark waiting for crumbs of worry to fall. This beast gains strength from devouring little worries while catastrophizing into debilitating fear. Before you realize it, the anxiety beast is larger than you, controlling your thoughts and decisions while you miss out on life.

Traffic is a common source of frustration for everyone. However, like Ruby, traffic can be the tiny worry that is gobbled up by your worry monster and transformed into fear. That beast provokes reactions that do not fit the crime or the situation and before you know it your fear has you paralyzed (or laying on the horn in stand-still traffic).

A “stress-free” life does not exist. You cannot eliminate stress, but you can learn to manage it. Living life on life’s terms is learning how to handle whatever comes your way. Accepting what you can’t control and managing the rest. Self-care is the first line of defense against the anxiety beast. Before your fear becomes larger than you, practice how to handle your stress. Wars have been waged because of fear. Do not start a war with yourself.

Try some calming practices this week.

Try them BEFORE you NEED them so when you NEED them you are READY!

(Thank you, Captain Obvious) Deep breathing. Your breath is connected to everything! Controlling your breath forces mindfulness of your body. Count to 10. Slow your mind. Give yourself time to think before you react. You are less likely to punch or cuss someone if you are focused on counting to 10.
Find a release. Honking and yelling are examples of release however there may be other avenues to explore. Exercise is great! I run, however I am not a runner. I run to release my stress. It’s not pretty and did I mention it’s not fun? But, I sweat, my body moves, I focus on my breath, I listen to my music and with the exception of my dog I run alone. Running checks a lot of boxes for me and I ALWAYS feel better after I do. Find what checks your boxes.
Find something bigger than you. This is not a religious play or a preaching session on how spiritual I am. Nevertheless, I do better handling life on life’s terms when I am connected to something bigger than me (NOT my anxiety beast). Nature. The universe. God. Whatever you believe in, connect to it and let go of what worries you. Worry does not prevent pain, it prolongs it. Leave your fears to what is larger than you.

Let it go. Take it easy. Rest. Read. Laugh. And Practice.