Hello hello, and welcome to Episode 80 of Life On the Brink!
While it's not uncommon for us to need a few sick days during the winter, I think that probably most of our "rough days" aren't due to physical illness or ailment, but rather a mental and emotional place. It's very easy to get in our own heads, to overthink and overanalyze, becoming overwhelmed. The winter season, or perhaps a new transition or challenge, can certainly make things a little more tricky. Sound familiar?
Well, friend, you are not alone, and while this podcast is a place where we consistently examine and adjust and reflect upon our lives in order to better cherish our everyday lives, sometimes we need a little extra help.
I’ve had a rough week in some ways, especially with the transition of moving to a new house, and while I was at first quite uninspired to make this podcast, I’ve instead decided to simply share a few ways that have really helped me in the midst of more difficult emotions.
Sometimes we try to distract ourselves from how we feel with work, social media, or by “powering through.” But eventually these feelings catch up with us, and we need to take some time to work through it before getting back to our normal routines.
What’s in my teacup? A super rich and comforting black tea from Rabea with honey and heavy cream. A hug in a mug.
*A note: We all have bad days, and this is just a few ideas to give yourself a little help, but if you are struggling with consistent anxiety or depression, please reach out to someone. I am not a mental health expert by any stretch, but I highly recommend speaking to a therapist if you’re dealing with a difficult transition or a time of grief.*
Here’s a few things to remember when you get overwhelmed:
-It’s ok to feel your feelings. Hopefully the big takeaway from this episode will be to accept how you feel and give yourself space to move through it. Distracting yourself or ignoring how you feel will only pile it up further, so if you have the time, just take an hour or a day to address it so you can return to your normal routine feeling like yourself again.
-Take 5 minutes and put the urgency or importance of your tasks into perspective. You can either do this mentally, or literally write down your tasks in a list. One day, one week won’t be the end of the world if you need it, so let go of those things you don’t need to do today.
-Give yourself space to cry. So helpful for me! A good cry can be like a pressure release when emotions pile up. Don’t know why you’re crying? Still ok.
This is also when I need to pray, to give away the issues or feelings that have become overwhelming, and that’s personally the most important part of this whole process.
Ok, so now that you’ve addressed your emotions (or cried them out), know that you can still be tender. Give yourself some grace and some space with these ideas to help bring some comfort to your day.
-Limit your screen time to things you actually choose. Maybe you watch a comfort movie or even some unrestricted Netflix time when you’re not worried about the clock. Ultimately, I would just recommend against the mindless scrolling that we all know so well. When we’re down, it’s that much easier to compare ourselves to others or to spend hours of the day doing something that we don’t actually choose to do. Don’t beat yourself up by any means, just do things that you enjoy.
-Take a hot shower and breathe deep. You know how good it feels to shower after you’ve been sick on the couch for a few days? I think that feeling carries over when your mind is feeling unwell. A nice shower reinvigorates me, and I feel a bit more capable for whatever’s next.
-Take a walk outside. Will we ever stop singing the praises of exercise and fresh air? Not likely. Last week I was having a weird day and felt really “crunchy” in my brain, just kind of unfocused. Once I could stop my work for the day, I made the decision to do a 20 minute yoga practice (I’m following Yoga with Adriene’s 30 Day Yoga Journey again and just love it) and follow up with a walk around my apartment complex. It was bracing and revitalizing and got rid of my headache, it’s just all around a great idea when I’m down.
-Journal through it. If you’re someone who benefits from journaling, take a few minutes to write down how you’re feeling, to get it all out. Then, maybe sit for a few moments and write down something you’re grateful for. Put this moment, this day, into perspective again.
-Cook dinner for yourself (something low pressure, now’s not the time to impress) even if you’re alone, set the table, maybe add a few candles and maybe put on a record or some soft music to set the mood. Cooking gets me out of my mind and into my body, and providing nourishment for yourself is something simple that you can embrace even on your own.
-Reach out to someone you trust. For me, most of the time, this is my husband Josh. He’s good at just letting me feel my emotions, but then also reminding me that everything will be ok. Whoever that is to you, remember that it’s ok to have a bad day. Would you want that person to reach out to you if they needed encouragement? Chances are, they feel the same way about you.
Remember to be kind to yourself, my friend. Everyone has these kinds of days, and you shouldn’t feel bad for needing a bit of comfort, cheering up, or recovery. Especially if you’re going through some sort of transition, these kinds of emotions can show up without an apparent reason. Treat yourself as you would someone you love and care about, with compassion and patience, and soon you’ll feel like yourself again.
You can enjoy your life.
All my love and hugs, I hope this has provided a bit of comfort and joy to your day!
This Week’s Little Joy: This is my new comfort watch: it’s called “The Bear,” from FX on Hulu, and it’s awesome. Naturally, the thing I like the most about it is that it mostly takes place in a restaurant kitchen, full of jargon and quick cuts to things being fried, chopped, and plated. It feels a little hectic, even stressful, but not in a malicious way. There’s a nice human thread throughout that I think is going to make the story move nicely, and I can’t wait to see the rest of the season.
What I’m Listening To: I have really been enjoying “Winter,” an EP by Jonathan Ogden. It’s very acoustic and atmospheric, but very heartwarming and comforting, perfect for the bareness of winter. This is the perfect album to wrap you up and make you feel a bit better.
Thank you so much for listening, friend. It means a lot to hear where and when you listen to the podcast, and I love learning your ideas and stories! Thank you thank you, and until next time, you have a lovely week.
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