The Art of Starting Over

How do we start over? I'm happy to say: It's all in your head. 

Our society puts massive pressure on continuous flow. As in referring to a time in our lives in terms of weeks, months, or years. But what if we took it day by day? Sure today sucked, but tomorrow is a fresh start kind of thing? I've started over more times than I can count and here are a few of my strategies when I'm staring my mental health in the face...or in the bottom of the barrel. 

At work strategies: 

1. Take 10, sit down and drink water. Maybe have a snack.
2. Take 5 minutes and practice some breathing and grounding exercises. Sometimes we just need to breathe.
   
3. Take the long way to wherever you're going if time permits. Sometimes those extra steps are good

At home strategies: 

1. Take 10, sit down and evaluate. This may be time for the emergency checklist before the next activity.
2. Feeling cranky? Food check: when did you feed the gremlin last? Maybe it needs a snack?
3. Not hungry? Try water. 
4. Not thirsty? Nap time
5. None of the above? How about putting on a meditation track and setting a timer for five minutes?  

I've discussed a few breathing and grounding exercises which I find very helpful, when you can do them. 

Grounding, to me, is the practice of getting in touch with the Earth. The first grounding exercise I was taught was to take off my shoes and stand in the dirt and grass. It's relaxing, but if you're me and you live in Florida I'd recommend to carefully examine the area you want to stand in first. Red ants are a thing, and boy do they hurt! (0/10 recommend)

The second grounding exercise I've discovered on my own works really well in a crisis. Run the backside of your wrists (the side connected to your palms) under cold water. This helps in conjunction with emergency breathing techniques (which I'll cover next) to calm down a manic brain and kick your system to restart mode. I'd recommend drinking water after that step. Sometimes grounding can really drain your energy because it's getting rid of the excess energy that's ruining your day. 

Breathing techniques: 

Okay, so here's my favorite topic for anxiety, manic phases, and everything else. Breathing. You HAVE to BREATHE. if you don't breathe, you can't get grounded or calmed down. Remember that time you had a panic attack and couldn't get past your diaphragm? Yep. I'm here to give you some tools that will help kick start the recovery process. How do I know? Because I use them on an almost daily basis. 

1. Box Breathing
1. In for 4
2. Out for 6
3. In for 6
4. Out for 8 
2. Counted Breathing (similar to box breathing but slightly more direct)
1. In for 4
2. Out for 4
3. In for 6
4. Out for 6
5. In for 8
6. Out for 8
7. stop at 8 feel free to repeat as necessary, counting slowly.  

One other book I'd like to recommend is Your Auras and Your Chakras. by Karla McLaren. It was my first introduction to energy work and spirituality. If that's not your style, not to worry. I'm sure there is a book out there that will help. The important part when you are grounding or practicing breathing  techniques is that you imagine the excessive energy leaving your body. Another Book that is helpful with this practice to bring your mind to center is by Thich Nhat Hahn (Teek Not Hon for pronunciation) and it's his first book that twas published in the United States titled Peace Is Every Step.

Some final thoughts on the topic of starting over. it is never too late to start over. You can be a month in, a week, or fifty years, and should you feel the need to start over, find the way that will be best for you and your family. Sometimes, in marriage, that means learning to fall in love again, or in a career it means taking a step back to take care of your mental health. Either way, you are human, and entitled to start fresh at any time. The above mentioned techniques are what has worked for me in the past. I hope they bring you a little bit of peace in your daily adventures. 

Love, 

E