As you may have noted from the date above, it has been a while since I have last written on this blog. I suppose this is a product of being busy. Have you ever noticed how easy it can be to become busy? Another thing I have noticed is how easy it is to become anxious and tense just by the thoughts that surface in our own minds. If you struggle with anxiety, you may have noticed how easy it is to think a negative thought, which leads to another scary thought, and before you know it, your inner peace is gone. The interesting thing is that we can generate a sense of peace by asking ourselves a few simple questions, such as 1) Is this really happening to me right now or am I just anticipating that it might happen? 2) Am I allowing myself to be caught in a pit of fear instead of thinking of things I could do to calm myself?

If the answer to question number 2 is yes, what things have worked in the past to bring about a sense of calm? What skills do you have that have worked? For some people, it’s taking a walk in the sunshine, exercising at a gym, or playing with a pet. For others, needlework, drawing, or playing music is helpful. If you think hard enough you can probably thing of what specific skills you have that work for you. If this starts to feel like work, you are right that it requires more effort than staying stuck. Doing these activities may not solve the problem, but using these skills can help you focus on a problem more effectively when you are able to come back to it. So, go ahead and take that walk or enjoy playing with a pet. Remember to enjoy life’s little pleasures.