What to do when you're feeling confused and slightly crazy
/We all have those days when everything just goes a bit haywire and we find ourselves in a spin.
What do you do when you're feeling confused about what's happening and slightly crazy?
Here's my top three practices to getting myself back on track, with perspective and feeling myself again.
Move from head to body
You know when your head is going crazy with all the thoughts spinning round like a top?
This often happens to me when something unexpected happens and I’m thrown off course. I start imagining all sorts of wild possibilities, ‘What Ifs’ and ‘What shall I dos’ and fear and indecision show up.
When I get into this place, I know that getting out of my head and into my body energy can really help me quit the crazy mind and restore myself to calm.
Firstly I feel the energy in my body.
This takes some practice if you haven’t experienced it before. Imagine all the cells that make up your body (there’s an estimated 32 trillion of them!) identify with and ‘be’ them - really feel them. This draws your energy from your mind down through to your body and ‘centre’ and ground you.
Secondly, I talk to my cells.
Ok, it sounds a little strange but it’s another way to encourage myself. It’s positive self-talk, for your whole support team (your body AND your mind), so your whole self is working together to move you forward.
Notice what you have
On one occasion, I found myself in a right grump. It was partly because I was stressing about a situation with a guy, and knowing I had to let it be. But that didn’t stop my mind going crazy and I started 'picking apart' my life: what was wrong, the challenges I’d not ‘solved', things that weren’t perfect.
In these situations, I know gratitude is the best way to get perspective. I began to list out loud 10 things I was grateful for. I hadn’t even reached number 5 when I sensed my energy shifting. I began to feel calm and peaceful again, and the nagging, angsty feeling diminished.
In her book, Sacred Success, Barbara Stanny recommends creating a 'receiving journal’. I use Evernote on my computer and phone so I can add entries anytime. My receiving journal is a simple table comprising the date and notes of what I’ve received - from someone allowing me to pass by first, to unexpected phone calls or texts from friends, money, gifts, meals…Noticing what you have takes your mind off confusion and clarifies the here and now.
Connect with your values
Beauty is one of my top values. I live in a beautiful flat with a balcony and a lovely view of the Italian countryside. But my last place was a cold, ground floor apartment next to a busy road. Yes, there were a few trees but generally, it was noisy and a bit like a cave. So (after a little moaning and frustration!) I began to notice when I was feeling a little uninspired and compiled a list of favourite spots to go when I need to reconnect. When I made it a priority to get out and relax in these places, I was recharged and restored.
What do you do when you feel crazy to help you get back on track? Share in the comments below.
