For the most part, I’m a generally positive person. I can stay level-headed and unfazed by many things. However, when I’m anxious or overwhelmed, I will shut down. I get emotional. I get quiet. I make snap decisions. At my age (I will be 45 in May), I’m very much aware of how I move in these streets with family, co-workers, and friends.
With everything going on right now — COVID-19 pandemic, travel advisories, social distancing, various health, environmental, and emotional concerns, my anxiety — like many of us, is in full effect.
Social distancing, as we all know by now, means “maintaining distance (approximately 6 feet or 2 meters) from others when possible,” according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
So like everyone else, I’m staying informed through TV, social media, and websites and staying out of bars, restaurants, and other large, meeting places.
At some point between last week and this week though, I have had to shut down all media for several hours each day. No Facebook, Instagram, local news stations; all notifications ignored. It was too much happening too fast, and my mind and body couldn’t take it (read insomnia, lack of focus, depression, anger, irritation, debilitating anxiety). Stay with me here.
Intuition speaks to us
As much as I am anxious (and impatient), I’m also very intuitive. Intuition is defined as “the ability to understand something immediately, without the need for conscious reasoning.”
To be completely transparent, I have had visions or dreams about people, places, and/or circumstances all my life — and when I have followed those trail of things (because everything leaves a trail), what I felt and/or seen turned out to be truth. Be it about people close to me or at a distance.
The professionals also describe it as being an empath. We feel shit all the time, whether we want to or not. These days, I’ve simply taught myself to ignore a lot of it.
That said. I’ve become hella anxious over these last couple of weeks, to the point that I have started realigning and readjusting goals, finances, career choices, relationships, and friendships.
Like, literally questioning everything I do: Am I following my life’s purpose? Am I investing and saving enough? Where will I be in 12 months? Three years? Five years? What about Vanlife? Who am I? It’s been real in these parts. And I’m learning that that’s okay.
Infinite Waters (Diving Deep)
I’m a fan of psychologist and intuitive leader Ralph Smart, who’s also known as Infinite Waters on YouTube. I recently watched his video on Intuition vs. Anxiety, where he breaks down the two so easily that a fifth grader can understand it.
Ralph says:
Intuition is a calm knowing. Anxiety is a loud scream.
We make snap decisions using our intuition. We overthink when we are anxious.
The takeaway: Everything we want or need to do is decided very quickly. Intuition. The things that we hesitate to do is anxiety. So why bring on unnecessary anxiety, when we have plenty of it in the media.
So, take time for your mental health, people. For me, I love being out in nature, it clears my head and gets me to think straight. Going for walks or easy hikes has helped in minimizing my stress levels… of course, respecting social distancing along the way.
I also listen to ocean waves and rainstorm playlists on Spotify. It’s super relaxing. Guided meditation helps as well. I’ve also been watching comedy specials on Netflix and videos on the Dodo on Facebook (you can thank me later).
By simply taking this down time to slowdown and listen to my gut, I’ve been less stressed in the last couple of days than I have been in the last month alone.
be well, folks.