Happiness: Truth or Myth? Part 2

Last week, I shared with you one of four ways we kid ourselves into thinking we're happy.

Here's a brief recap before we continue exploring two more mindsets that deceive us into thinking we're happy.

Ways We Seek Happiness

It can be said that you seek happiness in one of four ways.

1. Future Oriented – the future is your prime goal without appreciation of the present.

2. Present Oriented – the present is your only goal to avoid pain.

3. Past Oriented – your past failures determine your outlook on happiness

4. Happiness Oriented – the possibility that it might even exist.

This week, we'll explore both Present Oriented and Past Oriented perspectives.

Present Oriented

Are you a pleasure seeker?

I've realised that I am but in the small things.

Like a hot bath after a gruelling day or my favourite biscuits at the weekend.

Apparently, this is a healthy way to seek pleasure.

But what happens when it's not so healthy?

The result is Present Oriented thinking where you seek momentary pleasures to avoid any kind of pain, at any cost!

Tal Ben-Shahar calls this the Hedonist Archetype and unfortunately this momentary pleasure can be interpreted as moments of happiness.

It's the belief that successive momentary pleasures, one after the next will result in a fulfilling life.

Behaviours like indulging in drugs, alcohol and also new friendships/relationships that expire very quickly when the ‘honeymoon’ period wears off.

Being Present Oriented means that only experiences bringing about pleasure are welcomed and those that don't are certainly not.

In a nutshell, momentary pleasure equals happiness and anything outside of this equals pain and must be avoided at all cost!

Is this or has been you?

Have you chosen to indulge in activities that have given you pleasure whilst paying no heed to the future consequences?

Might you have had one experience after the next that offered momentary pleasures however resulted in feelings of emptiness in between?

I know I have and even though it felt like happiness at the time, I realise now that it so wasn't.

Past Oriented

Being Past Oriented is, in fact a belief I've yet to experience.

Tal Ben-Shahar calls this the Nihilist Archetype.

Have you ever believed that life has no meaning or given up on happiness completely?

We've established that The Future Oriented mindset believes that arriving at their destination will result in lasting happiness.

We've also established that the Present Oriented mindset believes that a succession of momentary pleasures, detached from the future will bring about bouts of feeling happy.

Well now, let's explore the Past Oriented mindset.

This is the belief that happiness is completely unattainable and can never be reached because of past failures.

There's actually another way of describing this…

… Learned Helplessness.

Coined by Martin Seligman - Positive Psychologist and Author, it's the belief that an unsuccessful past experience means that you have no control over your present or future life or parts of it.

Over time, it can lead to despair, taint your perspective on what happiness could become and lead you towards thinking that your present unhappiness is your lot.

Research with dogs and people have shown how easy it is for us to learn helplessness and this perspective on life can have you believe that your future will contain much of the same and that there's nothing you can do about it.

So, if you've tried chasing future goals whilst ignoring the present (Future Oriented) and lived completely without future care in the moment (Present Oriented) and all without long term happiness gain, then it's no wonder that over time you might become disillusioned about the very existence of happiness.

Are you therefore living with a Past Oriented mindset, fully negative about life?

In fact, I honestly wouldn't blame you if you started to believe that happiness is a myth designed only for those who spend much of their time in la la land.

If that's you, next month we'll break down the metaphorical prison walls of the previously explained three ways we tend to seek happiness.

In its place, we'll explore the one true positive and simple perspective that can wholly determine your happiness.

Not only that, you'll have access to an easy to implement meditation script that's accessible for all and perfect even for those who believe meditation isn't for them.

6 Tips For Anxiety - Life Changing Actions For You To Take Now

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety impacts everyone uniquely and can be caused by a number of experiences or situations.

You might be wondering why it happens.

It’s our body's natural way of keeping us safe and alive when we perceive danger.

It releases chemicals like adrenaline and cortisol to assist us in managing the present stress so that we can fight, flee or freeze.

The downside of this positive response to danger is that if these chemicals remain in our bodies for long periods they can negatively impact us causing ill health.

So let's do a check-in.

Are you feeling uneasy?

Living with a feeling of worry and dread?

Perhaps a mild or serious fear?

A need for perfectionism or avoiding triggers?

Experiencing sweaty palms, increased heart rate, shaking or/and shortness of breath?

We all experience symptoms and feelings like these somewhere along our life journey.

More often than not they disappear once the pending situation has passed.

Unfortunately though, for some of us these feelings linger and a somewhat harmless situation can turn into a highly charged and overwhelming concern that interferes with everyday events and relationships.

This blog is for you if you’re experiencing that rare moment of anxiety where you feel a little out of control and unable to find perspective.

It will offer you accessible tips for creating clarity and perspective in the moment and remind you that you can always choose to be in the driving seat.

6 Tips For Anxiety

1. Understand Your Anxiety

   Keep a diary or find your own way of recording your thoughts and feelings. This will allow you to see patterns of behaviours and provide an outlet for self expression.

   With this personal record, you can then find clarity in understanding the why of your emotions and see what action steps will support you.

2. Challenge Anxious Thoughts

   It's really easy to find yourself in a spiral of negative thoughts that stem from uncomfortable feelings and then result in not so helpful behaviours.

   The next time you find yourself experiencing this, recognise what's happening, pause for a moment and catch the thought.

   Then question whether what your telling yourself is true. We often forget that we have the power to influence our own thoughts. You could imagine supporting a friend who was thinking this way.

   What would you say to them?

   Once you've determined the reality of your thinking, make a decision to change if it doesn't represent the truth.

   By catching your thoughts, challenging them and then changing them you can start the practice of breaking the negative cycle that results in anxious feelings.

3. Make Time For Worrying

   Sometimes worrying can distract us from the hear and now and lead us into anxious thoughts.

   If this happens to you, consider setting aside some ‘worry time’ to ponder over it. Knowing that you have a designated time to address your concerns can alleviate stress and give you mental space to focus on the task in hand.

   During your ‘worry time', follow the steps of this Worry-Free Map to support letting it go.

   Step 1

   Notice your worry.

   Step 2

   Ask yourself what you're worried about. Challenge what comes up by looking for evidence to support it.

   Step 3

   Ask yourself whether you can do anything about it.

   If yes, create an action plan based on what you'll do next, how you'll do it and when you'll complete it by.

   Sometimes our anxious thoughts linger so if the worry returns, be kind to yourself by remembering that you have an action plan in place that's ready to go.

   When you're unable to immediately take action, decide when you can and schedule a time to do so. Again, if the worry lingers remind yourself of your plan and find comfort in knowing that it will soon be addressed.

   If the answer is no and there's nothing you can do about the worry, simply acknowledge this. Distract yourself with another task or practice breathing slowly in and out. You may not be able to control the worry but you can certainly control how you manage it.

4. Shift Your Focus

   Picture your worry like a baby who is easily distracted.

   When it takes you away from the present moment, shift your focus by using relaxation techniques to distract it.

   Mindfulness is a form of meditation that allows you to bring your awareness back to the present moment by noticing the here and now. For example, the texture of the chair you're sitting on or the detail in the walls.

   Use this, breathing exercises, music, audio books or reading to slow your thoughts down and away from stress.

5. Build Resistence To Anxiety

   By avoiding stressful situations, you fuel anxious feelings however by confronting them you become more resistent to them.

   Develop your ‘worry time’ so that you start to climatise to your anxious feelings. The more you recognise them, the more you can manage them.

   During this time, make a decision to face what you'd usually avoid. Notice that the more you do this the less anxious you'll become because of your exposure to it.

   They'll also be habits that you do and practice that offer you a sense of safety. Slowly and mindfully reduce these habits to build resistence to being uncomfortable and uncertain.

6. Meet Your Worry Head On

   Very rarely do we worry about things we can't resolve. For example, how often do you worry about shop opening hours or the weather?

   Most problems have a solution. When you're unpicking what's worrying you, why not use the following 7 problem solving steps to assist you.

   1. Idenitfy the problem

   2. Identify potential solutions

   3. Analyse strengths and weaknesses

   4. Choose a solution

   5. Plan the solution

   6. Practically explore the solution

   7. Assess and review the solution

   There will be times when overwhelm and worry interfere with your everyday activities.

   If you're feeling anxious for most of the day, feeling helpless to shake it off and finding each day distressing then it might be that you'd benefit from some deeper support.

   There's absolutely no shame in asking for help, so if this is you please reach out for some professional support via your local GP, Samaritans: 116 123 or CALM: 0800 585858 to name but a few online support groups.

   Often just having someone to talk to can be the start of shifting distressing emotional responses to life's experiences.

   If The Creative Genius can support you, please let us know by reaching out and sharing what you need.

Happiness: Truth or Myth? Part 1

I love a movie, I do.

The type where the star is someone you can relate to and the storyline a journey you're excited to be on.

The first Terminator springs to mind, when the concept of machines rising up against man verged on ridiculous to the average Jo and a strong woman protagonist challenged the male-dominated film-making norms.

Why am I talking movies?

Well, because right now I'm on my second week of isolation in March 2020 and it's like living in a BBC commissioned 3-part series about an unseen predator that cares less about who you are and more about your propensity for hosting.

As COVID-19, flits from young to old, rich to poor, religious to atheist and all in between like an unwelcomed guest, it leaves in its trail unexpected devastation for some and a warped sense of reality for others.

And it's got me curious about how it's impacting you because I've been thinking more and more about the one thing that gets me up in the morning, fuels me throughout the day and soothes me to sleep last thing at night. ...

My happiness.

It's only recently that I've fully understood that everything I do, in any given moment is to ensure that I have pleasure and meaning in my life.

So that my sense of being enough has nourishing context to hold others.

Have you ever considered what happiness means to you?

According to Freud, you're fundamentally driven by the instinctual need for pleasure.

Viktor Frankl however, author of Man's Search for Meaning, a book about his experiences as a prisoner in Nazi concentration camps during World War ll, clearly believes that you’re motivated by a will to meaning rather than by a will to pleasure.

Is it an either/or though?

Could it ever possibly be both?

Drawing on the writings of Tal Ben-Shahar’s book Happier, I’d love to share my thoughts on how you can determine your happiness and the creative ways you might find yourself seeking or interpreting it.

Ways You Seek Happiness

I invite you to consider four ways of seeking happiness.

1. Future Oriented

The future is your prime goal without appreciation of the present.

2. Present Oriented

The present is your only goal to avoid pain.

3. Past Oriented

Your past failures determine your outlook on happiness.

4. Happiness Oriented

The possibility that it might even exist.

Future Oriented

In my very early professional years, I worked in both advertising and music production.

In both jobs, most of what I did daily was motivated by the dangling carrot of a promotion, a pay rise and a bejazzled job title.

I actually don't remember much of the amazing experiences I had, like being involved in glamourous client pitches or working closely with veteran international jazz artists.

Why don't I remember?

Because, if I'm honest I wasn't actually mentally there.

I was, in fact somewhere with my future self, eyes firmly on the promised prize.

In hind sight, I missed so much because of it.

I stopped enjoying the day to day routine of my work and started to live for the intermittent pleasurable moments where I celebrated successes with work colleagues or when my work was finally acknowledged.

If you'd asked me then whether I was happy, I'd probably have said yes because it was those memorable moments that made my life bearable throughout the time as I surged toward my next career recognition.

This is what I call a Future Oriented perspective on life.

It can unfortunately never bring about happiness.

Tal Ben-Shahar calls it the Rat Race Archetype.

It's where the focus is on the next goal… and the next rather than on the present experience.

It can apply to anything in life like being an artist who no longer loves their craft because it's now all about achieving the next big break.

Or a couple becoming detached from each other because their only focus is about having a baby.

Chasing....

I'm afraid chasing won't bring about happiness but the momentary relief from striving will definitely fool us into thinking it can.

And the heavier the burden carried throughout the chase, the greater and more powerful the happiness illusion.

In fact, this temporary ‘happiness’ is actually termed negative happiness by Tal Ben-Shahar because it stems from the relief of a negative emotion like anxiety, frustration, disappointment or anger.

This relief can only be temporary though as we inevitably revert back to the complacency of everyday living.

Has this been you in the past or is it you right now?

Confusing relief with happiness, chasing your goals and doing it all with an inability to enjoy the present moment because you believe that happiness lies ‘at the end of the rainbow’?

If this is you, join me next month when I'll breakdown the next two suggested ways we seek happiness: Present and Past Oriented mindsets.

I'll offer insights into how they can be disguised as happiness wrapped in unfulfilled living and we'll move closer towards understanding why these ways of thinking are non serving for us.

Why Yoga At Home During COVID-19?

I joined a 24/7 gym because I love the idea of training physically whenever I want.

Being a service provider that serves people during their down times, my schedule isn't your typical 9-5pm.

This means that when my day finishes around 10pm week days, most gyms are closing around 11pm.

When I want to hit the gym early morning before my day starts, most gyms are opening around 6am. Ideally, I'd like to be there before 5am.

So, it felt like I had no control over when I wanted to train!

Of course, this was all before lockdown.

So I improvised and designed my own ‘gym’ at home.

I included a yoga practice that suited my body and dug out my dynabands and commited to some floor work.

I got creative on the cardio side too by investing in a pedal only bike (so no seat) but if I'm completely honest, I wasn't impressed!

I realised how much I thoroughly enjoyed the bikes, crosstrainers and treadmills at the gym to challenge my heart.

I wasn't about to go running outside any time soon because years of high impact cardio including running have worn out my knees.

And cycling on London roads wasn't even an option.

More importantly, I didn't even own a bike anymore!

So, the only thing floating my boat about training at home was the ease of my yoga practice.

A simple mat and me.

I saw this as my time to check in with the whole of me and let me reassure you.

I'm not letting go of it any time soon.

Here's why…

10 Reasons To Practice Yoga At Home

1. Yoga at Home is Low impact.

   Yoga contains high intensity poses rather than high impact ones so your joints remain protected throughout each practice.

   Even in dynamic styles, the movements come from the control of your core so having control here supports poses that take a body part away from the earth, for example dynamic chataranga (jump back press ups), handstands, arm balances.

   So, as well as being kind to your joints, yoga is also kind to those living around you especially if you live in a flat or share a house.

2. Yoga At Home Can Be Practised Anywhere.

   The great thing about yoga is that as long as you can stand with your arms over your head, out to your sides or lie down with your arms above your head, you have the space to self practise.

   If, for whatever reasons you're unable to extend your limbs, it's still possible.

   So as long as you can fit, yoga can be practised in even the smallest of spaces.

3. Yoga At Home Relieves Anxiety.

   Yoga is a wonderful refuge during these uncertain COVID-19 times because it can be used as your safety net with or wIthout a mat.

   It can offer you a space of calm and moments of relief during panic episodes.

   This is because the power of yoga draws you away from external forces and encourages you to gaze inside… in the present moment.

   When you do this, you tend to be less distracted by what you believe you can't control and more focused on accepting the here and now.

   This is an excellent remedy for anxiety and depression because the stress hormone cortisol is reduced with a regular yoga practice bringing you to a place of peace and calm as the body's restorative functions are activated.

4. Yoga At Home Supports Your Sleep.

   Melatonin is the hormone released to regulate the body's internal clock.

   When your body becomes filled with worry, stress and fear, it can disrupt your natural sleep/wake cycle.

   Yoga at home boosts melatonin levels thus aiding a restful night’s sleep, supporting mental and physical well-being and most importantly for these times, boosting your immune system.

   Practiced just before beditme, yoga at home means that you can simply roll off your mat and into the comfort of your own bed…. Or someone elses lol.

5. Yoga At Home Gives You Strength.

   Let's not forget that certain yoga poses like standing and inversions create muscle contractions that force the muscle or muscle groups to hold you and meet the demand.

   This is the principle of gaining strength and yoga is designed to stimulate muscle growth when regularly practiced by working more than one muscle at the same time.

   It's actually the only form of physical fitness that does this in a balanced way.

   Not only that, the force on the muscles is transmitted to your bones thus building bone density, warding off osteoporosis in later years and improving bone health today.

   If that wasn't enough, any sweat you emit from practising yoga cleanses the body of toxins and the satisfied feeling of powerful achievement releases the feel good hormone endorphin.

   What's not to like?

   All in the comfort of your own home!

6. Yoga At Home Develops Flexibility.

   If you're a creative who finds themself hunched over a phone, laptop, drawing table, PC or other then practising yoga at home is your perfect antidote.

   Tight and contracted muscles create neck ache, back ache, hip ache and sciatica caused by buttock tightness.

   Stretching, lengthening and loosening muscles wards off musculoskeletal damage and poor posture plus it improves your overall range of motion and balance.

7. Yoga At Home Is Your Safe Space.

   The power of yoga is that it provides opportunity and space to turn your gaze inwards.

   Here you can foster your thoughts, habits and behaviours for self-reflection and self-evaluation.

   Practicing at home cultivates a more comfortable environment where you can fully disconnect from outside distractions and completely turn inwards to focus on breath and shifting thoughts.

   As wonderful as a studio practice can be, there is something extremely personal and intimate about practicing undisturbed, in your own safe space and without the rustling of another practitioner close to you.

8. Yoga At Home Gives You Schedule Control.

   Provided you've got your commitment to yourself pretty downpacked, yoga can really take the pressure away from rushing to the studio, needing more deadline time or finding child care.

   It's the perfect companion to practicing effective time management skills.

9. Yoga At Home Doesn't Judge.

   Who knows whether the person to your left in the studio class is actually judging you… but in your world, it's definitely happening, right?

   Yoga at home takes away the internal struggle that can come from believing you must fit into a yoga ‘shape’ or do more.

   It gives you the time and space to foster self awareness and appreciation for what your body can do rather than what you think it can't.

   You can take your time and move how ever the moment suggests.

   I think this cultivates a beautiful opportunity to test your boundaries or pull back where you might otherwise have felt compelled to engage.

10. Yoga At Home Is For Everyone.

    So, this is completely true but it must be said that not everyone wants yoga at home.

    If however you do, it can be extremely resssuring to know that how ever you turn up on your mat each time, you'll be wholeheartedly and non-judgementally accepted.

    Realising this can teach you to trust that whatever's revealed in each moment is exactly what should be.

    There's absolutely no fixing that needs doing.

    All you need is an intention of practice, openness and a commitment ready to receive.

If you would like to join me for some Yoga At Home practise, then it's as easy as clicking here.

Can't wait to see you on the mat!

What Red Wine Taught Me During COVID-19

I’ve been thinking about wine tasting.

Yes! You heard me right!

Wine tasting!

Specifically red wine tasting.

Now, I’m not actually a devoted drinker but I do love to appreciate and savour quality red wine.

So over the years, I’ve been curious about finding deeply full bodied red wines to enhance and embellish my experiences.

Let’s be clear here, though.

It's more of a part-time love affair than a full-time obsession that I'm talking about.

I'm thinking more quality rather than quantity because I very rarely drink alcohol actually.

But none the less, it's a curiosity that won't go away until it's conquered.

Which will be never, I reckon because they'll always be an amazing winemaker somewhere looking to produce delicious wine for us.

And so, as random as this may seem, every so often I get triggered about red wine.

What triggered me this time?

Well, as I write this I’m in coronovirus lockdown - April 2020.

It’s a Sunday over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend, a sunny day and I’m in the garden reading a book that is encouraging me to savour luscious wine the way I should savour life.

It’s not even a wine book but the mere mention of it activates visions of what red wines I should explore next.

I feel confident that I know what I want but I've no idea whether it's actually possible or just one of my own creations.

I mean, I’ve never been to a wine tasting event but if I did and they were to ask me what I was looking for, I’d probably say something like:

“A full-bodied red wine that’s soft and smooth, rich in flavours of berries, dark chocolate, vanilla and slightly tannic. It should also have a finish that has low acidity as it kisses the back of my throat with an aroma of black cherry fruit.”

I can imagine smelling, tasting, swirling, savouring, pausing, pondering, lingering and being giddy with delight as all my boxes are ticked.

So, as I embrace the sun and receive an overdue dose of vitamin D today, the mere mention of savouring wine not only inspires me to enjoy my imaginary wine tasting experiences but also to reflect on what's truly occuring for me right now.

… COVID 19.

This COVID 19 lockdown pandemic has actually givien me even more space and time to smell, taste, swirl, savour, pause, ponder and linger the everyday things in my life.

I notice more. I see more. I'm aware of more.

Without making light of its impact, the coronavirus has really heightened my ability to appreciate my life and the people I choose to have in it.

I feel positively enhanced.

Like a systems upgrade!

You see, I’ve found myself seeing and experiencing things from an unimagined corner of the room where I've been forced to feel into new ways rather than uncomfortably feeling boxed in.

I've discoverd renewed courage, truth, trust and unwavering self belief.

In this moment, as I continue to metaphorically indulge in my own full-bodied red wine, a sharing comes to mind that I'd love to share with you.

“Learn to pause… or nothing worthwhile will catch you up." Doug King

I'm curious about how much you've chosen to slow down?

Are you still fighting against the habit of being on a daily hamster wheel?

If so, I really do encourage you to use this time to consciously SLOW DOWN.

Pehaps you’re already doing it.

Hats off to you if you are.

If you’re not there quite yet, why not start by slowing down on your everyday experiences.

If you are there, why not find new ways to continue.

Here's my 3 accessible tips to assist you with taking action on finally slowing down throughout this unusual COVID 19 pandemic.

3 Tips For Slowing Down

1. Take time with your everyday experiences, especially the ones you rush.

   You know, the ones you'd usually prioritise to the top of your ‘automatic pilot' or ‘duty' list and demote to the bottom of your ‘priority’ and ‘engagement’ list.

   Experiences like brushing your teeth, walking, beverage making, connecting with others, exercising, bathing, eating, solitary moments.

   What if they became something other than fillers during this coronvirus pandemic?

   What might that look like?

   Invite yourself to explore this and make a conscious effort to slow down and really sip on your proverbial wine.

2. Add more minutes to your quiet time and use it to observe where within the ‘slowing down’ practice your impetus arises from.

   Our body speaks before our mind so listen to its purity and acknowledge its messages.

   As you hear, bring awareness to where exactly within the body it's coming from..

   Is it rising from your gut, your heart, your upper back, your pelvis, somewhere else?

   Is this where much of your instinctual drive usually eminates from?

   Just observe without judgement and be playfully aware.

   Then, consider the practice of self-compassion to hold it in.

   Reflect on experiential moments of kindness that you have given to others.

   Now, embrace these positive memories and extend the virtue you feel towards yourself.

   It's in this moment that you can consciously sit, slow down and pause with them.

   Allow their goodness to infuse and permeate your being with feelings of appreciation, love and gratitude.

3. Offer yourself ‘time affluent’ (time rich) thoughts rather than ‘time poverty’ (time poor) thoughts.

   Be mindful about how you're using your time from this moment on. This refers to the time you commit to yourself and to the time you offer others.

   Create opportunities to partake in activities that will cultivate pleasure for you not only for today but also for tomorrow.

   These moments are sacred and it's only by putting them into practice that you can successfuly create the space to be nourished by them.

My hope for you today dear creative, as we share this uniting pandemic chapter together, is that you emerge from it with a clearer vision of what pleasure and personal meaning are to you.

I wish for you to develop a conscious undestanding of what being productive, creative, loving and respectful of others means.

I wish for you a deliberate retreat away from stress, anger, cruelty, inertia and being uncompassionate.

A step that's closer towards love and the most important emotional currency there is: happiness.

To be precise, your happiness.

I wish for you the ability to take this time to BE MORE instead of feeding the desire to DO MORE.

To slow down… right down.

Take your time, dear soul.

Savour, swirl, taste, pause, ponder, smell and linger.

In no particular order.

Sip on your proverbial wine, choose to positively manage your emotions and mental health.

Choose to safe guard your time.

Choose to say ‘no’ where you would usually say “yes."

Choose to make wise choices.

Choose to hold on to less… that little bit more.

This is the pefect time to grow, develop and to let go of experiences that stunt you.

Be the grapes on the vine that ripen to their fullest true expression, nurtured in nourishing soil and flourishing in a positive environment.

Choose to be there so that you can serve yourself and in turn joyfully serve others.

This is the time to completely SLOW DOWN because if you choose not to wake up in this moment, who knows when as a nation, we'll ever be given the opportunity to collectively slow down together again.

Is The Coronavirus Pandemic Negatively Impacting Your Creativity?

10 Emotionally Supportive Tips & Tools To Navigate You Through Coronavirus

Have you noticed how challenging it is to make a decision when you’re feeling stressed, anxious, agitated, angry or scared?

Survival Psychologist, John Leech reports that only 10-15% of us can handle a potential crisis with a calm and rational mind.

So, what happens to the remaining 85%? Are you one of them?

How on earth are you supposed to be creative when all you're thinking about is the fact that your next gig/job has been postponed or cancelled due to the impact of coronavirus or that a different business is not paying your invoice as planned because they've shut up shop?

During episodes of anxiety and worry, you should know that you’ll lose the ability to make positive decisions.

Don’t worry though because it’s only temporary. What's actually important is how quickly you recover.

So, here's my 10 TOP TIPS & TOOLS to assist you in managing your emotional state throughout this crisis, build your decision-making recovery muscle and learn how to connect deeper with your body rather than just your mind.

1. Freaking Out Is OK!

Give yourself time to freak out but know that it can't go on forever.

You'll need to make a positive decision at some point so that you can move forward.

2. What's The Truth?

In order to make decisions, you must know the facts.

Whether it's about you wanting to research an idea or knuckle down to prepare for an upcoming gig/job, you must soothe your mind by getting to know the facts about what's stressing you and what's preventing you from taking action.

This will invoke feelings of inner power together with self control that can guide positive decision-making and steer your thoughts away from catastrophising.

It will move you further towards the reality of what's really happening and reveal the truth of the situation.

3. Find Your Safety

We become scared and live in fear when we feel unsafe.

Ask yourself what tools you can put in place both mentally and physically to create an anchor that grounds you in the moment and reminds you how safe you really are.

An example of this could be a mantra. Mantras are words repeated for positive effect.

What if you created a personal mantra that took you away from your overwhelming thoughts and more into the power of sound made through the words you say and the vibrating sensations within your mouth and on your lips.

You might like to try repeating the following when you feel unsafe in the moment:

“In this moment, all is well and I am safe.”

4. Acknowledge Your Emotions

More than likely, when you're ignored by someone you'll feel a moment of anxiety or confusion as to why. You'll tend to question their actions and unwaveringly look for answers.

Your emotions are no different.

If you continually ignore them they'll do everything they can to get your attention. As a result, you'll feel uneasy, confused, agitated, distracted and unfocused.

YOU MUST ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR EMOTIONS!!

It's ok to feel scared or upset. Sit with the feelings, determine the cause and know that you can shift them with intention, a strong inclination and breath.

This will give you mental space to focus on resolution and tap into your inner power.

5. What Can You Control?

Many of us focus on the things we can't control without realising how much energy this takes. It’s exhausting!

Let's focus on what's within our capabilities to make space for problem-solving and clarity of the situation.

6. What’s The Worse That Could Happen?

Ask yourself this question.

Consider your worse case scenario and rather than fully focus on it, acknowledge what comes up.

Where can the glass be half full rather than half empty?

Can you make lemonade from crushed lemons?

How might you learn from this experiences?

If you don't already, start to believe that you're stronger than you think you are and see it as your truth.

To do this takes much courage and a tenacious desire to move away from overwhelm and fear.

7. A Breakdown Can Also Be a Breakthrough

When we have a breakdown, we're often led to believe that it's very final with little hope of a positive way back.

What if your breakdown in the moment is your mind and body's way of rebuilding you?

Can you see breaking down and falling apart as a part of the process that moves you closer towards your wellness, greatness and genius?

I invite you to consider that your breakdown can also be your breakthrough.

8. Don’t Forget To Breathe

When we take complete, full breaths in and longer, stronger breaths out we send signals to the brain and nervous system that everything is ok.

We physiologically give ourselves permission to relax.

Taking slow, deep breaths in with an audible sigh out will allow oxygen to fully circulate the body and brain and release constricted muscles, prevent the ‘shut down' of certain body systems and halt the release of stress hormones that magnify feelings of anxiety, agitation and fear.

9. It's Not Just About You

Yes, you might be feeling absolutely rubbish but what about the impact that can have on those around you? What if there are people in your world less able to cope than you who are also challenged by this present pandemic?

We all want to be seen and heard, so first attend to you by acknowledging and listening to what’s occurring within. Then, when you've found that place of ease attend to those in need around you.

Listen to them, even when they make no sense.

Ask them what they need. They'll know, so avoid trying to fix them.

10. Safety Is A Human Need

In order to move further away from fear, surround yourself with what you need to feel safe, grounded and accepting.

Is it being around friends and family, warmth, eating good foods, reading, listening to music, bathing or exercising that does it for you?

Continue to drink plenty of water for clarity of mind, eat high protein snacks like hard boiled eggs, tuna and peanut butter and stay away from sugary foods.

Most importantly, ensure that you make time for plenty of rest as emotional spiralling can be majorly exhausting.

Final Words

Be kind to yourself and know that it's ok to be emotional.

Better still, emotional feeling will guide you towards your inner strength and a belief that you can overcome any challenge that’s placed in front of you.

With that growth mindset, how can you not be motivated and ready to innovatively create your next idea for the world to see even when all around you appears to be unsteady.

You can also watch the YouTube video that accompanies this blog here.