I am having one of those days.

My anxiety is high. There is the usual work, volunteering, and day-to-day living. There is the new work venture I am not as far along on as I’d like to be. I am worried about the health and well-being of more than one family member. People are asking questions which I need more information about before I can answer. I feel overwhelmed.  

With trainings, new work ventures, volunteer commitments, and family, I have so much to do. I don’t have time to curl up and play more games on my phone. I want to be getting stuff done. There are significant tasks which are my responsibility to complete. I need a way to organize these overwhelming stressors into something manageable. So, here is my plan:  

Getting through today: 

1.       Get a big piece of unlined paper and write down all the &#$! that is stressing me out. I may need two pieces of paper. I plan to journal and use markers to add emotion (i.e. cuss words in red and violent green).

2.      Drink a glass of water and tell my gadget to play some dance music. Dance as energetically as my back will allow.  

3.      Look at that page of awfulness I just wrote and decide if there is anything I can do about any of it. What is within my power to affect or change? (I am an ant on the side of a volcano; there may be little I can do except get bits of food and carry it as deeply as possible into the burrow. I can help the ant with a bad foot get back to safety.) But seriously – what can I do? What am I willing to do? Is there anything that needs to be done today? If I find a yes, then write it down with all the other things that are for me to do. 

4.      Now look at my actual to do list. The things that I agreed to do, that are my responsibility. Pick the three that I would really like to have done by the end of this day. Get started on them. 

5.      Avoid the news – the world has to do its thing without me because I need to do my things. 

6.      Focus on the steps needed to get my big 3 tasks done. Draw hearts and stars and smiley faces next to everything that gets done. Look in a mirror and smile, tell myself “good job” for every step completed. Know that I am doing what I can in my little piece of the big world.  

7.      Quit early, or keep going with any task that has me in a groove. Find a way to relax that does not involve curling up in the corner of the couch. Connect with another human who is also doing their best in their little spot of earth. Rinse and repeat any of the first 4 steps as needed. 

Keep doing the things you do that make this world a better place. What you do matters. Hundreds of people caring, building, designing, helping, teaching, fixing, healing, sewing, listening, writing, learning, cleaning, preaching, cooking make this world a place I want to live in. Do what you can. Dance. Drink water. Smile at yourself in a mirror. Hear me say, “good job.”  Tell yourself “well done.” Stay in touch as we work together to Learn.Model.Teach Resilience. It is clear that we need it now more than ever. 

 Peace,

Laura