Life out there is pretty stressful. We’re still dealing with a nasty virus and the political unrest is distressing, to say the least.
I’m seeing these stressful situations play out in front of me as I work with clients who are reaching their breaking point. The strain is getting to them. Everyone is feeling shaky, but survivors probably more than most.
One of the toughest things to accept about being a survivor is knowing that at some point, and often when you least expect it, it’s going to raise its ugly head again.
When too many things start piling up, your normal coping mechanisms start to fail. You thought you had it all under control, and then suddenly, without warning, you’re a basket case.
How to get back to baseline?
Here’s what I tell my clients:
Breathe! This is one of the most useful things you can do when feeling overwhelmed with anxiety, despair, feeling out of control. The goal is to get back into your Higher Self. And you’re only three deep breaths away. One, two, three. And on that third breath, bring all of your focus into your heart space and begin breathing in through your heart and out through your heart. Settle into that calm place for a few minutes.
Tap! Tapping through all the things that you feel stressed about is a great way to bring that stress back into manageable limits. You don’t have to get creative about what to say. Just start naming all the things. “I’m so stressed out about…” Keep naming it all as you tap through several rounds. You’ll find yourself feeling calmer after a few minutes of this.
Take a step back. Remember your object observer. You don’t have to get fully blended with the anxiety, depression, etc. Try to view what is happening inside of you from the point of an outsider, an observer. You might hear yourself telling a story that is just making it worse. As an observer, you can say, “I’m just having an emotional flashback (or stress response), and it will pass.”
And now that you’ve got yourself feeling more stable and approaching baseline, repeat to yourself “I’m okay.” Tell yourself exactly what you need to hear. I’ve got this, I’m okay, everything will work out. You know better than anyone what you need.
Four simple steps:
1) Breathe
2) Tap
3) Step Back
4) I’m OK
If you need a refresher on how to breathe, tap, and develop your objective observer go here: https://www.thesurvivorscompass.com/online-resources/
OR if you are a client, go here: https://www.annemarck.com/client-resources/
Until next time,
Anne