Anxious, Overwhelmed & Disconnected

The world is so off kilter. So much is going on it seems that if you sleep, pull away or put your phone down for a moment you may miss something big. The news cycle is unrelenting. Social media feeds are flooded with images and words that are quite literally triggering. Up is down, down is up. Please, please take a moment to take inventory of your mental well being. How are you feeling - mentally, physically, emotionally, relationally? It is likely that you may be experiencing symptoms synonymous with high stress or even trauma.

If you've experienced feelings of being numb or disconnected, had difficulty concentrating, or you've just felt generally overwhelmed and anxious here are few practical coping strategies:

Journaling

It sounds so simple but journaling can be very intimidating. I think we place a lot of pressure around what journaling should look like right to down to the journal itself. Go ahead, buy a pretty one if you need to but just be sure to actually write in it. There is no wrong way to journal. If you need a little guidance here are a few journaling methods you may helpful.

1) Brain Dump - yes, just put it all on paper. Every thought, feeling, emotion. Don't overthink it, just redirect the flood from your brain to the paper. A great thing about brain dumping is that you don't have to do anything with it or you can use it to identify a particular point of stress and explore that further.

2) Focus on the Positive - This may be good to do at the end of a hectic or stressful day and is great as a daily practice. Ask yourself - what went well today, how did I show up and kill it and take inventory of what made you feel good. If you find something that is working well, replicate it and find ways to implement that into other areas of your life.

3) Gratitude Journaling - Of course you've heard of this by now. The reason being - it's proven to work. Just answer the simple question - What am I grateful for today? I believe that the powerful force behind gratitude journaling is perspective. Living from a place of gratitude tends to deepen relationships, strengthen emotional intelligence and improve your sense of overall wellbeing. Also, it's the least fussy of them all. This could literally be a few minutes at the beginning or end of your day or on your lunch break. If you are looking for a place to start - this is it.

4) Develop a practice - no matter what you decide to write during your journaling time, you will reap the greatest benefits by doing so consistently.

Schedule Something Good - we call this behavioral activation. If there's an activity you enjoy, schedule it. Set aside some time to do something that will bring you joy and fulfillment. This could be as simple as scheduling time to take a morning walk after you've had your coffee. It may be helpful to add it to your

calendar, set an alarm or involve a loved one in reminding you and offering some gentle encouragement.

Breathe, Mindfully - yes, this photo is glorious but please don't make this too complicated. Take a few minutes to take a few breaths. To really engage in the practice, ground yourself to the floor by taking a seat on the floor or sitting in a chair with your feet planted firmly to the floor and your hands resting on your knees. Close your eyes - this helps with removing visual distractions. Relax and breathe in filling your lungs with air and then out in one long breath. Repeat this breath cycle several times before bringing your attention back to your immediate surroundings.

I hope that you find this useful. Our main goal here at Be.is to equip you with practical tools to nurture your mental space everyday! Don't try to do everything, just pick one thing and do that consistently.

Be.Well ~ Carmen