What Haunts You at Night?
What scary thoughts keep you up at night?
The safety of yourself and the ones you love? Natural disasters? Your future? The election? Your relationships? Your finances? Your overall mental and physical wellbeing? There is no shortage of horrifying thoughts to keep us up at night. I think I'd rather face ghosts or monsters than feel the weight of the world on my shoulders these days. But there are ways to calm the inner thoughts that torment us so that we can feel lighter and move forward with less fear.
Moving Through Fear
Halloween has just passed - a day of candy and celebrating the "scary" - whether through costumes, movies, or other traditions.
Monsters and ghosts do exist - but not in the spooky, Halloween way. They exist within us, created by our own thoughts and fed by our own fears and inaction.
The antidote to fear and sleepless nights is ACTION. You have to face your fears head on and move through them.
But how?
By taking one small step forward towards a resolution. Not a final solution, but just one step in the right direction.
The anxiety, anger, and overwhelm builds from the thoughts swirling around over and over in your mind. Maybe you aren't sure what to do next. Or the path forward seems too difficult. Maybe you are so overwhelmed, you are frozen.
Moving forward is the only way to get out of this cycle of fear and anxiety.
Start by evaluating your balance of inner and outer focus.
Inner work includes evaluating your body, thoughts, and emotions. Inner work means shutting out the world. If social media and the news have you trapped in a constant loop, turn it off. Come back to your breath. Come back to your immediate surroundings. Come back to the things within your control and start there.
Get a drink of water, stretch your legs, meditate, sit in your favorite spot. Take one action to calm the racing thoughts. Find a good sleep meditation and get some rest - it is amazing how much better you feel and function with a full night's rest.
It can be hard to turn it all off because negativity and horror bring a feeling of aliveness. As much as we may not want to admit it, negativity has a momentum of its own and we can be pulled in like a moth to a flame.
But it isn't helping you and it isn't helping anyone else. Worry and despair waste your time, energy, and diminish your quality of life.
Outer work means reaching out. Meaningful connection decreases depression and anxiety. This includes (the sometimes uncomfortable task of) reaching out and asking for help.
Call a friend. Call a counselor, therapist, or coach. Enlist safe support to share your worries and process your feelings. Go for a walk with a friend or set up an evening out with someone you enjoy.
Balancing this inner and outer focus takes practice. It is likely that the mental monsters tormenting you are caused by either too much of one or the other. If you are isolating, your thoughts are getting the best of you. If you are keeping yourself too busy, you are overstimulated and avoiding the important tasks that will improve your situation.
The human condition is one of deep sorrow and massive joy - at times swinging wildly day to day. Evaluating your balance and taking action will help you better manage the thoughts keeping you up at night.
Some practical suggestions:
If your finances are the issue, identify one area to reduce spending - just one. Feel good about that decision and then tackle another one tomorrow. Maybe the one action is investigating options - debt consolidation, refinancing, cancelling subscriptions, creating a side hustle to earn more, etc.
Miserable in your relationship? Then maybe it is time to have the tough conversation about your next step - is it a counselor, therapist, weekend getaway, or divorce lawyer?
Your children's welfare/progress a concern? Maybe get rates for a tutor, have your child assessed, or find out what options are available for their age and situation.
Is work (or looking for work) overwhelming? Do something that energizes you and re-evaluate your strategy going forward. Identify what isn't working and stop doing that in order to experiment with a new way of moving forward.
There are many more examples, I know you get the point.
Your time and energy are precious resources, and you can't afford to waste them on worrying. Instead, move the needle forward, even if it is just a centimeter.
In the horror movies, it is the creepy things that jump out and scare us. In real life, fear stems from the things we can't control. So take back control and take a small action forward. Remind yourself of the powerful being that you are.
I know it isn't easy to disrupt these thoughts and take action. But it will be a lot less painful than the endless loop of worry and "what ifs" in your mind. It feels better to move forward than to stay stuck.
This is all we can do. Move forward. One step, one day at a time.
And we might as well get a good night's rest while we are at it.
Cheers to restful nights and peaceful minds,
Sharon
PS - If you feel so overwhelmed that you can't take an action forward, there is help. Search your benefits and reach out to a professional TODAY. Suffering in silence will only continue. The monsters in our head are serious, controlling, and can do real damage. No one is coming to save you - you need to reach out.
One Action You Can Take
Let's talk. You deserve a life you love with less stress and more joy. I can help you gain clarity on how to enjoy life AND succeed, and the tools you need to make it happen.
Whether it is to better enjoy the present moment or to set yourself up for success going forward, I offer clarity sessions, consistent support, and accountability through several options. Schedule a free, confidential strategy call by CLICKING HERE (Choose Free Strategy Session) and we can decide what's best for you.
Life is too short to keep putting off what you really want. Don't stay stuck feeling stressed, overwhelmed, and unsatisfied. I've helped so many improve their happiness, well-being, and success because they chose to schedule a call and take one step towards the life of their dreams. I can help you too.
