Last evening an event happened that reminded me to focus on anxiety prevention. Recently I became lax on doing what I am supposed to be doing. One of my beloved cats, Chloe, got out of the yard. Now realistically, Chloe knew how to get back home. She used to be a neighbor's cat that kept getting out of his house and coming to mine (he eventually told me to keep her). So I KNEW she would come back...however anxiety took over. I thought about all the posters and Lost ads I've seen over the years, and the stories I've heard people tell about how their pet never returned. And hey, there are cars out there that could hit her...and cruel kids that think it's funny to torture animals, not to mention dogs that attack cats. My anxiety skyrocketed!
In the past I put together a "Stress Management Emergency Kit" for times such as these. However, life had been going so well in the last year or so that I forgot all about it. Then when I did remember, I couldn't remember anything in it, nor the list of what it contained. This morning I hop onto the computer to redo my kit, as well as put together an official anxiety prevention plan. Before I started, I search my computer just in case my kit list was there...and of course it was! In plain site, top level of My Documents. I shook my head at myself.
So right now I'm developing my anxiety prevention plan, as well as updating my Stress Management Emergency Kit. I believe in the Mind~Body~Soul connection, so I want to make sure all these areas are covered in my plan and kit. I'll post my anxiety prevention plan next...need to go finish it...stay tuned...then after that will be my Stress Management Emergency Kit.
In the meantime, remember to breathe!!
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Be As You Want To Be, Live As You Want To Live
Have you ever said to yourself, "someday I'll lose weight," or maybe "someday I'll travel," or "someday I'll _______"? Fill in the blank with whatever you've said you'll do 'someday'.
For me, 'someday' was/is I'll lose weight, go dancing, have a clean house, etc etc etc. Years ago I was thinking these types of things...I wanted to be a nicer, more caring and considerate person...'someday'. I wanted to get into meditation...'someday'. I wanted to not be afraid to be who I really am around other people...'someday'. Heck, I wanted to have a cat enclosure...'someday'.
I had read plenty of motivational books over the years, and they all talked about how you need to start doing things...take that first step. And while I understood that intellectualling, it still didn't sink into this brain of mine. And then one day it really dawned on me. 'someday' will never come - it will always stay in the future. If I want to be a certain way (i.e. more confident, self-assured, etc) or do something (have that cat enclosure, meditate, etc)...I need to start doing it NOW!! If I don't start doing it now, someday will never come! Same with losing weight...if I want to be a healthy weight, it has to start now.
So I built a cat enclosure. I'd never used the tools before and had NO idea of how to go about making one. Part of what I had to do was make a box type thing to set into one small area. I worked diligently on it. As soon as I was done with the frame, I stood back to look proudly on what I made...and started laughing instead. It wobbled horribly! So, I undid it all and redid it. This time it worked out (I learned from my previous one on how to do it).
I started meditating. I have audio tapes that help me with visualization meditations, which are the type that I like best at this point in my life. When possible, I try to get into nature - spend the day in the yard - as that is a form of meditation for me. I learned how to breath, which has helped me greatly when my anxiety kicks in.
I got a new job I LOVE!! It was very scary to go for it but I am SO glad I did! It has positively changed my life so much and in so many ways. Leaving the 'known' was very difficult for me, however my last job wasn't the life I wanted to live. I had to carry around a courage talisman with me all the time to help remind me to have the courage to go for it.
Specially as I age, I want to be healthy. As I am overweight and out of shape, focusing on this became a priority. So I started working out and joined Weight Watchers ('someday' I wanted to eat more nutritionally). This is still in the beginning stages, however I'm already feeling better physically.
I find the main difficulty with being the way I want to be and living the way I want to live is maintaining the attitude. I've been conditioned for so long to be the other way. Being as I want to be and living as I want to live doesn't happen overnight. But like any program, I just have to take it a day at a time.
So as if this moment, BE the way you want to be, LIVE the way you want to live. If you don't do it now, someday will never come.
For me, 'someday' was/is I'll lose weight, go dancing, have a clean house, etc etc etc. Years ago I was thinking these types of things...I wanted to be a nicer, more caring and considerate person...'someday'. I wanted to get into meditation...'someday'. I wanted to not be afraid to be who I really am around other people...'someday'. Heck, I wanted to have a cat enclosure...'someday'.
I had read plenty of motivational books over the years, and they all talked about how you need to start doing things...take that first step. And while I understood that intellectualling, it still didn't sink into this brain of mine. And then one day it really dawned on me. 'someday' will never come - it will always stay in the future. If I want to be a certain way (i.e. more confident, self-assured, etc) or do something (have that cat enclosure, meditate, etc)...I need to start doing it NOW!! If I don't start doing it now, someday will never come! Same with losing weight...if I want to be a healthy weight, it has to start now.
So I built a cat enclosure. I'd never used the tools before and had NO idea of how to go about making one. Part of what I had to do was make a box type thing to set into one small area. I worked diligently on it. As soon as I was done with the frame, I stood back to look proudly on what I made...and started laughing instead. It wobbled horribly! So, I undid it all and redid it. This time it worked out (I learned from my previous one on how to do it).
I started meditating. I have audio tapes that help me with visualization meditations, which are the type that I like best at this point in my life. When possible, I try to get into nature - spend the day in the yard - as that is a form of meditation for me. I learned how to breath, which has helped me greatly when my anxiety kicks in.
I got a new job I LOVE!! It was very scary to go for it but I am SO glad I did! It has positively changed my life so much and in so many ways. Leaving the 'known' was very difficult for me, however my last job wasn't the life I wanted to live. I had to carry around a courage talisman with me all the time to help remind me to have the courage to go for it.
Specially as I age, I want to be healthy. As I am overweight and out of shape, focusing on this became a priority. So I started working out and joined Weight Watchers ('someday' I wanted to eat more nutritionally). This is still in the beginning stages, however I'm already feeling better physically.
I find the main difficulty with being the way I want to be and living the way I want to live is maintaining the attitude. I've been conditioned for so long to be the other way. Being as I want to be and living as I want to live doesn't happen overnight. But like any program, I just have to take it a day at a time.
So as if this moment, BE the way you want to be, LIVE the way you want to live. If you don't do it now, someday will never come.
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