How Do I Deal With Anxiety? Part 2 - Tackling THAT project...

1 month ago

I think that two weeks ago I left you getting out of bed to eat ice cream. Today I will talk about what happens once you are up and getting through the day. Then anxiety strikes. Have you ever started on a project and then you get a dreadful feeling in the pit of your stomach. You stop and sit down muttering : ‘ I can’t do this!’ ? We all get this feeling occasionally, but currently some of us are feeling it daily. It is as if the uncertainty in the world surrounds and paralyses us. Few have a psychotherapist on call. Can you help yourself at that moment? - Stand up! Do not allow yourself to sink into the chair. - Take ten deep breaths. - If the project can wait, give yourself permission to do something you enjoy e.g. painting, cooking, calling a friend. Something active will give you a sense of purpose. - If you want to tackle the project, but feel too anxious to start, set yourself the task of doing it ONLY for 10 minutes. Time yourself. After 10 minutes stop. - Hurray! You have done 10 minutes on your project. In an hour’s time, you can do another 10 minutes. - This is called ‘Doing the 10 Minute Hop’. I shall explain next time. In the meantime, congratulate yourself on having started. Despite anxiety. It is a great start.