Balanced Mind, Balanced Body.

Do you ever find yourself thinking too much? So much that you feel exhausted by it? Concentration is a constant game, and you have a tendency to lose. The worst part is that most of what you are thinking is fallacies of what is actually happening in your life or a given situation. I am talking about anxiety. Whether you suffer in small or large doses, this can be detrimental to your work, social life, personal life, and most importantly your health. Why? When you spend so much time analyzing things that are out of your control, you miss out on what’s right in front of you. You can no longer “live in the moment,” and it causes unnecessary stress.

First, I want you to know that you are not alone. I recall a time when I had been invited to a friend/coworker’s birthday celebration. She wasn’t sure of the final plans so I sent her a text later that evening only to receive a vague response, and then nothing. The next day I saw pictures of her out with a few other coworkers. I took it really personally and began wondering what I had done wrong. I played scene after scene in my mind. That led me to assume that I was disliked by my fellow coworkers. That thought led me to paranoia which finally ended in a full blown panic attack in the break room (not embarrassing at all). The next day my friend apologized and explained that she had gotten very drunk very early into the evening and didn’t even remember texting me. The one person she went out with ended up taking care of her the entire night. Our other coworkers ironically landed at the same bar, and the extent of them hanging out was the pictures they had taken. I let that give me a panic attack. Simply because I couldn’t let it go. I almost let it ruin some friendships, and I have had to learn my lesson the hard way over and over again.

That’s just one example of many situations I have put myself in. I have had too many sleepless nights, skipped meals, and negative emotions because of it. One day I knew I had to put my foot down. I had to find a way to control these emotions. So now every time I begin to overthink I find a space to be alone and either write my thoughts down or say them out loud. In doing so I am able to read and hear how irrational I am being. And while I may look like a crazy person in my car, at the park, or while walking my dog, this technique works.

When our bodies hold onto stress it can easily cause weight issues. Most of the time people gain weight or feel “bloated.” This is because our hormones get thrown out of whack and everything freaks out. Often people will stress eat. Unless you are stress eating with fruits and veggies (highly unlikely) you are sure to gain a few or more pounds. There is also the occasion where you may lose weight rapidly simply because you lose appetite. This, however, is not ideal either because it can destroy your metabolism, and eats away at muscle, causing weight gain in the future. It also means you are malnourished, and more prone to getting sick and having immune issues.

So next time you feel the urge to hit the panic button, hold off and try my technique. Seeing your own thoughts out of your mind not only rationalizes them, but it also physically releases them. Other great things to do are workout, take a nature walk, read a book, take a bath, write in a journal, listen to music or motivational talks, or talk to a friend. No false scenario should be allowed to control your day, your time, or your life. You will find yourself eating better, sleeping better, smiling more, and loving more fully. Will these thoughts ever be completely eradicated? At least for myself, probably not. That’s okay though. It’s the process in which you take each and every time to eliminate them that counts. Life is full of enough real problems. Don’t reach out for artificial, processed ones!