Back to school ads and store displays make my anxiety spike like no other and I'm not even in school! Having kids in school and working with college students, however, makes me anxious that the loveliness of summer is soon to dissipate, and with it, snippets of time that helped me feel grounded.
What about you? We're inching toward another transitionary time period - one that can definitely spike anxiety levels. You might be racing to finish all the things you've been diligently working on this summer. You might be spending some last lingering moments with family and friends. Or you might already be making the transition - especially if you're starting grad school this fall!
No matter where you find yourself, be sure to take extra precaution in keeping yourself grounded. It's too easy to become untethered to our normal routines and daily habits when we're in flux or feeling a little anxious about what comes next. So here's a little advice on how you might keep those anxious feelings at bay - advice I'm absolutely taking myself!
- Find one thing. Find one thing you can keep doing every single day that gives you comfort, nourishes your body or helps you feel calm. Prioritize doing that one thing every day.
- Use your breath. Our breath is one of our best tools we can use and it's at our disposal 24/7. Tap into your breath by taking three deep cleansing breaths whenever you might feel tense or a wave of anxiety starting to build. Breathe in through the nose, pause and breathe out slowly through the mouth. Imagine exhaling any thought or worry that is causing you distress.
- Remind yourself. You are strong and capable and you do hard things all the time. You successfully make it through transitionary times every year and this is no different. You will continue to ride the waves of your life with joy and ease.
Time stops for no one, so it's our job to figure out our core daily habits that keep us feeling grounded and taking care of ourselves in ways that help us be present and show up with strength and courage we already know we have. ✨
