Things got a little crazy over the weekend. My brain went haywire and anxiety took over. Anybody else? Maybe it was the full moon, maybe it’s the changing seasons, maybe it was my mindset. Probably a combo of all three. But out of those three, there is one thing you can change. Your mindset.
Last week I talked about journaling. The thing is, you can write and write and write, but if your writing is negative, you’ll feel negative. Shift your focus. Change your mindset. Instead of thinking about all the challenges in your life and how unfair it feels, switch to being thankful that you’re strong enough to overcome them.
What really got me going this weekend was the feeling that I have so much to do and not enough time to do it. I have this problem every weekend and I know I’m not alone. Passion projects, like this blog, take time. Time that I would rather be spending relaxing, getting outside, exercising. But if I don’t work on my blog, or I miss the prime time for a social media post, then I feel guilty. There’s always something more I feel like I should be doing to further my career. Am I doing enough? This question is a constant little humming in the back of my mind.
Sundays are the hardest for me. It’s like the ticking clock of opportunity is running out. Did I check everything off on my ambitious to do list for the weekend? Probably not. I need to get better at being okay with that. It’s like the universe knew I was struggling and sent advice my way. I was listening to a podcast, (Blissful Bites), on my way to work this morning in which Nicole Culver was interviewing the founder of New Primal. She was talking about how you’re always going to be busy when starting your own company, and you won’t be able to get everything done. Those things you don’t accomplish, well they just weren’t a priority to you. And that’s okay! Just do what you can, and shift your mindset to accept that some things have to wait.
“Action expresses priority.” ~Mahatma Ghandi
So, how did I turn my day around yesterday and go into the week feeling positive and satisfied? I focused on one thing at a time. As a chronic multi-tasker this was really hard for me to do, but man did I feel better. I meal prepped without a phone for recipes; folded clothes without texting in between each shirt, towel and sock; watched an episode of The Great British Bake Off without simultaneously scrolling social media. That small mindset change, from trying to do everything at once, to one thing at a time felt awesome! I kept fighting the urge to check my phone or grab my laptop, and in the end it paid off. The voice in the back of my mind quieted and the humming disappeared. This was huge for me!
I want to leave you with a challenge.
A challenge to focus on one thing at a time. Next time you feel like you have a million things to do, write a to-do list (or don’t if that’s not your thing), and move through one step at a time. Don’t get halfway through the first task and quit. See it through. Check it off. Even if that’s the only thing you finish, it’s done! Simply completing something, no longer allowing it to hover over you for your mind to cycle back to, is really powerful. Shift your mindset and let us combat anxiety together, one task at a time.
omg yes friend! I love everything about this post. I sometimes have to tell myself the same thing “one task at a time” .. thank you!
So glad you can relate lady!