Hello There! If you are in the Quad Cities today, you are experiencing probably the MOST beautiful day we’ve had this year. Nature is a great reset for our minds and bodies, and as I am feeling very…sucked up inside myself (just breathe, Heather!), I am going to take massive advantage of it today. So, today’s post will be short, so that all of us can go outside and play. Also, I am going to be on vacation (South Dakota, here we come!) starting next weekend, so you will be newsletter-free. 😛
Since today I need to hear some advice on how to regulate a spun-up nervous system, that is precisely what I am going to share with you.
Side note: Why am I wound up today? WHO KNOWS?! It could be hormones. It could be what I ate and/or drank yesterday. It could be dehydration. It could be indecision about a decision. It could be all the things I want to/need to get done before we leave for our trip. Maybe it’s contemplating the cost of gas and food and fun whilst on vacation. It could be the 60 to 80,000 thoughts, stories, and internal narratives assaulting me daily. And it’s most likely a combination of all of the above. But I guess The Why really isn’t the important thing. The Important thing is, I’ve noticed I’m feeling a bit tense, wound up, and fast. So. What next?
- Spend 90 seconds just sitting and noticing the sensations I feel in my body. According to Dr. Joan Rosenberg, the vibrations associated with an emotion last just 90 seconds.
- Locate the sensations (I feel it in my throat and belly) and see what happens if I inhale and exhale through the area.
- Acknowledge that I am feeling anxiety. Ask myself, “Is that a problem?” What happens if I just allow it to be there instead of fighting it and pushing it away (which adds a layer of suffering on top of the layer of anxiety)?
- Lay on my back in Constructive Rest and take some long, slow smooth breaths.
- Write. Get all the thoughts out of my head and on paper and look at them objectively. Preferably this should be done in a Moleskine journal with a nice pen. Just sayin.
- Take a walk, encourage the furrow between my brow to relax. Open up my peripheral vision. Notice all the shades of green. Notice the sounds of the birds and the wind in the leaves. Notice the smell of the lilacs.
- Take an Epsom salt bath (FYI – my sister-in-law’s sister told me that taking a hot bath with ½ cup of Epsom salts, ½ cup of baking soda, and ½ a cup of kosher salt can be a mind-opening experience. I haven’t tried it yet, but I plan to tonight!).
- Pet Huehuetenango Schneiderjohns. Here is a picture of him playing with his new Chewbacca toy.
- Roll my abdomen with the Coregeous ball (this would also help that pesky low back pain).
- Do something fun! Tim and I plan to bike over the new I-74 bridge this afternoon.
There’s my top 10 list of self-advice. Oh shoot. I just thought of another one.
11. If I’m forbidden to call what I am feeling “anxiety”, what would I call it? Anxiety can be a “cover” emotion that hides something deeper going on. What emotion am I hiding from by saying I feel anxious? (This also comes from the podcast linked in #1).
Ok. Now I’m really done. Hopefully if you struggle with that fast/spinny/unable to exhale sensation, this list will give you some ideas to experiment with. And I’ll remind both of us that: MAYBE FEELING ANXIETY IS NOT A PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE SOLVED.
Space to be Human Lab
- The Lab will be closed 5/28 to 6/5.
- Don’t let your self-care suffer during the busy summer months! You can purchase a 3 pack of 60 or 90 minute sessions and save $10 per session! Link here (click on Products and Packages link at the top).
Happy Sunday! I look forward to regaling you with stories from South Dakota when I write again on the 5th. 😛
<3
Hlo
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