Lately I have felt as though I’ve been struggling with how to overcome the stress of everyday life. I’ve even felt like a total fraud at times since this is what I do for a living: I coach women to overcome their own stress so that they can live a life filled with happiness.
Now, don’t get me wrong, it’s not as though I am unhappy in my life. But when you have stress it’s not possible to feel positive uplifting thoughts, therefore feeling happy can be hard to come by.
I have my own business, which keeps me super busy and there’s always something that needs to be done with endless tasks on my ‘To Do’ list. I am also the executive of my household, making the majority of the decisions to ensure a happy household. Along with my already full schedule I am happy to be planning a wedding, but let’s be honest here- there’s always some drama that comes along with it (you know what I’m talking about 😉 ) and endless decisions to make.
My only sanity you might ask? My almost daily work outs. But lately even these haven’t been keeping me feeling balanced. I have let the scales of my worlds tip way too far out of orbit.
I consider myself to be extremely organized and due to my off balance schedule I’ve found that the stress is too much for me physically with increased amounts of body pain, and mentally draining where there have been a few times that I can’t remember a word! Rest assured I am not having a stroke (I looked up the signs) and I’m not quite yet reaching the stages of early onset dementia.
Plain and simple- I am stressed! And doing a poor job of overcoming the stresses of my every day life. When this happens I am not at my best, and this awareness is something that I struggle with.
My biggest goal is to be the best ME that I can be for myself. My relationship with myself was at risk of flying completely out of control.
I couldn’t help all of the negative thoughts coming into my head- I wasn’t just observing them but I was embracing them like an old friend coming to visit. My worry- that these negative thoughts would start to turn into a place of comfort: a place that I would soon call home.
At this point I knew something bad was happening and only I could change it. I couldn’t ask anyone else to save me- this was my responsibility and I had the power to make the change.
I told my fiancé that I could not (and would not) make it to our wedding as a happy bride without a break from my everyday life. I just needed a little break to regain my sense of Self.
So we planned a trip out to the Lake, where our biggest worry and decision is what is the most appropriate time to crack open a beer.
I know that every time I feel a bit stressed or off balance I can’t just pick up and leave on a holiday, (at least not right now) but it is my inspired goal to be more aware of how I am feeling before I get so stressed that I forget my name (unless I am at the early stages of dementia, then it’s completely appropriate).
Losing myself to the stresses in life is not an option- I am worth more than that and my happiness is completely priceless!
Calgary Canada Life Coach Arianne Moore, founder of Path of Tranquility Life Coaching for Women, helps clients worldwide.