It’s ok if you have a wobble.
No, I’m not talking about those extra bits about the midriff we may have developed over the festive season!
Every one of us will struggle at some point. My clients sometimes think that, because of the job I do, I never experience bad days.
They are surprised if I report I have had a difficult day or a challenging few days. My answer? I’m not a robot.
And neither are you.
My wobble came when it became apparent the new UK variant of Covid-19 was causing havoc and the figures of those who had the virus were going up. The awful news was coming through that more people a day were dying too.
A few days ago, sitting on my sofa with a glass of wine in my hand, I was listening to this news and thinking “this is really scary”. I felt my pulse increase, my breaths become shallower, my heart began to race a little faster. All were classic signs of feeling anxious.
The one good thing about doing the job I do is having the knowledge that I know it is never what happens to you that is important – it’s what you do next. So I practised what I preach, took some deep breaths and regulated my breathing, became mindful into the moment and settled myself down.
I reminded myself that this like everything good and bad will pass, it won’t be here forever, we can’t control what is happening out in the world but we can control what we do, so I keep myself safe, follow the guidelines, stay calm, exercise, eat healthily because that is all I can do right now.
After all if I allow myself to get anxious, one – it is not solving anything – two – it might never happen, far better to wait until the facts arrive, so unless I get Covid there is nothing for me to do but keep safe.
The next day, I went for a long walk in the woods near my home. I was lucky because it had snowed, and the snow made it extra magical. The path was crunchy under my feet, the air was crisp and clean, and the trees and bushes resembled a Christmas card scene. It was truly breath-taking.
When it has snowed, there is a stillness in the air. And if you open your mind and allow yourself to feel it, you find that you can become still too.
Walking in nature is an excellent way to calm anxiety. You are exercising at the same time as being reminded that life goes on. Whether we are in a good or a bad place, the world keeps turning. Nature has the power to make us feel grounded and it is difficult to feel anxious when you are grounded.
In the forest there are mighty oak trees, standing firm, and rooted to the earth. There is a real timelessness about oak trees. They send out a message that whatever is thrown at them – sun, rain, wind, hail or snow, the changing seasons – nothing will spoil their majesty.
We can adopt this strategy for ourselves. We breathe deeply, become resolute and know that whatever comes our way, it will pass. Yes, we may get blown about a bit but we can stand tall, stay grounded and wait for the storm to pass.
My walk did the job for me. I felt invigorated and calm.
So it is ok to wobble, we all do.
What always counts is what you do next.