Accepting New Beginnings

Starting a new chapter in your life can be difficult. I should know, starting this blog has been a challenge. I have so much to share, but uncertain of how I shall share it. Guess no time like the present.  New chapters are difficult because they’re new! Anxiety is the fear of the unknown. It’s okay to have anxiety about your next steps, it’s actually normal. Anxiety is your body's way of saying, “Stay alert, we need to learn this new way”. Even though anxiety is normal it can interfere with our daily lives. Anxiety may look like avoidance, excessive worry, rumination, irritability, procrastination, controlling behaviors, fatigue, headaches & even feeling detached. Anxiety symptoms look different on us all, but it is something we can overcome as we enter our new beginnings. 

Breathing techniques, distraction techniques & even mindfulness techniques can be used to manage our anxiety. Breathing techniques include breathing in oxygen to help clear the mind & regulate your nervous system.  4, 7, 8 breathing; inhaling through your nose while counting to the number 4, holding the breath in your body while counting to the number 7 & exhaling through your mouth as if your whistle counting to the number 8. 

Distraction techniques include using your senses to help calm you. 

Describing an object; identify an object near you & describe it to the fullest. What color is the object? What shape? Is it perishable? What texture is it? Can you hold it? What size? What’s its use? How does it look in different lighting? Can you add to the object or take away from it? 

The trick is saying these things out loud to fully immerse yourself in the moment. 

Mindfulness techniques include being aware & intentional in the moment. 

Find an activity you can do & be fully immersed in it. Remove all distractions (phones, noise, etc) & just focus on the activity. Pay attention to how you feel completing this activity, use your sense to focus on the activity & stay in the moment. 

After I practice these techniques, more than once, I’m ready to take my next step into my new chapter. For example, I’m writing to you today lol. My anxiety is still there, my fear of the unknown is still present but those techniques helped me take the leap. Try these techniques & see how it helps you. 

You don’t have to hold it all anymore. Release a little. Relearn slowly. Reframe when you’re ready.

Your real life therapist, Renice