Anthea Turner How I See It...
Hello,
I’ve Just sat down all calm and happy with a cup of coffee and you are top of my “Today List”. I’m saying this because yesterday I had a mini meltdown which you might relate to. There was no catastrophe, but the big “To Do List” coupled with weight of responsibility, expectation, guilt and that great female ability to worry about things that haven’t happened (and probably won’t happen), all came raining down on me.
I was sitting in that forest we often find ourselves in, where we can’t see the wood for the trees and whether it’s a little job or a much larger task, they all ended up in a big blob stuck in my head. There’s no simple answer, but there is a collection of processes I go through to come out the other side quickly, with a clearer vision, and some of them might help you if you find yourself in the same position.
First, Get Up…
First, however tempted I am to stay in my PJs, put on a film and get the chocs out, it won’t get me anywhere. So I make myself get up, get dressed and put my warpaint on (only concealer and lipstick yesterday but it makes a difference!).
Next move, to counteract the confusion in my head, was to have a good tidy up, even a little chuck out (nothing like a charity carrier bag in the hall for validation of domestic control).
The fridge is another favourite target, as is the clutter in the cupboard under the stairs. Where does all that stuff come from? Knitting, gardening, baking – all are in the same psychological category. These largely mindless actions are not only productive but medically acknowledged to be calming and stress-relieving. They take our focus away from the anxiety we are going through and allow the mind to recalibrate. I think of it as productive time out. Then, with a clearer head, you can get yourself out of the forest.
We all have our own methods of putting things back in order. I’m a list maker and have a major list on my phone with subsections but however techsavvy I think I am, nothing can replace a piece of paper!
Written on this will be my “Day List” – nothing goes on it apart from what I can conceivably accomplish in a day. It doesn’t have to be all work; pleasurable jobs can be included but I think of it as daily brain glue that concentrates my mind, so things don’t mount up.
I hope this has helped, though I must confess that I left the charity shop with a gorgeous pair of hardly worn LK Bennett shoes!
Love, Anthea X