California Gazette

Feeling a General Malaise These Days? Here’s how to put the Spring Back into Your Step

As we head towards another winter, don’t be surprised if you feel a little blue. A lot of people are expressing a general malaise these days. 

Jennifer Ibbotson Rodriguez is a survivor of 9/11 who works professionally with others who have experienced trauma and speaks of the following as typical signs of mental and emotional exhaustion: “These signs can be as variable as people themselves. Everyone is unique and will present a unique spectrum of these generalities. Sudden and unexpected changes in personal care and social activities are the most obvious yet, typically the last signs. If people were more in-tune with three earlier signs, burnout wouldn’t be such an overwhelming aspect of daily life.”

These signs of Mental and Emotional Exhaustion tend to be less noticed because of the unfortunate judgments or defenses they create within the observer. If people could separate their feelings from these signs, they might recognize them for what they are: Cries for help.

1. Caring less or more about any aspect of life can be an earlier sign.

2. Snapping or crying with greater frequency, and for less obvious reasons, is an earlier sign.

3. Scattered multitasking without rhyme or reason and results is the direct sign of an inability to focus, a direct byproduct of mental/emotional exhaustion.

So what do you do to put the spark back into your step and the meaning back into your life? We spoke to some experts across industries for some tips and new perspectives.

GET GROUNDED
“Practice things that give you perspective and modulate your emotions DAILY. You don’t have to do them all daily, but you need to do something that teaches your brain self-control each day. If you create good habits when you are doing well, they will serve you when you are not doing well; a lot of times, if I’m having a rough day, I’ll ask for guidance and the strength and wisdom to understand what I need to do next. Even taking two minutes and focusing on one sense (such as hearing or touch) can help you become grounded. 

Close your eyes and notice: what can you hear? Listen for the furthest sound your ears can pick up. Now, what is the closest one? Can you hear your heartbeat or the blood in your ears? Rub two fingers together lightly and see if you can feel the ridges on your fingertips or nails. Run the fingers of one hand lightly down the palm of the other. Can you feel the veins on the back of your hand? These things take almost NO time, but they train your brain to focus on the NOW, not the anxiety of what might be. If you practice these things daily, when complex and low times come, you are better equipped to handle them.” 

-MIRIAM GUNN, http://www.LEAVEBETTER.com as told to AUTHORITY magazine

JOURNAL YOUR GOALS
“Dream journaling can create opportunities for transforming a vision into reality. Through the creative expression process, you get access to see the vision from various conceptual angles. You see the required steps, bringing hope and a sense of what’s possible.

At that moment, someone has a choice to step outside their limitations while having clarity on the goals required to fulfill the dream. It fuels the passion and purpose which aligns with essential values, leading to acceptance of accountability. This reinforces the belief in the dream to keep the vision alive. In the process of dream journaling, it can uncover the learning, fears, and obstacles that start to reveal themselves along the way. These can be explored with curiosity and addressed, so they don’t interfere with bringing the dream to life.” 

 -Kristin Larsen, Transformational Health Coach 

DON’T GET CAUGHT UP IN THE STORM
“Don’t believe the mind – don’t believe the thinking. Take a step back and sit on the edge of the highway. Watch all that traffic go by and be the silent observer. Look at it but don’t get caught in the storm it provides.”

-Shane Flannigan, North Pole Life Coach

DON’T DREAM IT – BE IT
“I’ve never liked that expression Fake It til You Make It,” I say it’s better to be genuine in all things – and you don’t have to pretend to be something you are not – just follow your dreams, figure out a strategy, start doing it. Don’t say; someday I will be a writer – BE a writer – start writing – now you’re doing it, Bam, you’re a writer. So instead of fake it til you make it, I like to quote the song from the end of the Rocky Horror Picture Show where they sing, “don’t dream it. BE it.” Because you can be it, too.”.

-Tracy Lamourie, International Publicist and Public Speaker 

John Latta, the author of Synchronicity of Love, puts it this way: “Consider breaking old and outworn habits and opening their minds and hearts to new possibilities in all areas of their lives. And I would encourage everyone to embrace Compassion – for yourself and others. Living in a world with an extreme range of dualities isn’t always easy. Billions of people somehow live together with their unique perceptions and beliefs. It is a crazy, beautiful, horrible, and amazing journey to live a human life!”

He’s right.

As these experts so eloquently teach us – sometimes you have to look at things differently to find joy.

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