We are going to have ups and downs - thats inevitable. But how do we manage to get ourselves out of the rut we are in? Because when we are in it, it consumes our entire lives and seems to make everything worst.
Our mind and body play key roles in helping us get in and out of a negative headspace. Here are two questions you can ask your mind and body to help you get unstuck:
What are you doing?
What aren't you doing?
Real life example: I was at work attempting to write a grant and I kept running into barrier after barrier, all of which were out of my control. I felt frustrated, unproductive and stuck. When I came home, it spilled over - my mind was still at work. Why was I letting this get to me? Why can't I seem to shake this feeling? So, I asked my mind and body the two questions:
My mind:
Q: What are you doing for your mind?
A: Beating myself up.
Q: What aren't you doing for your mind?
A: Practicing self-compassion.
My body:
Q: What are you doing for your body?
A: Eating a TON of sugar and few healthy foods (Thanks holidays!)
Q: What aren't you doing for your body?
A: Exercising.
Okay, questions answered. So what now? FLIP IT and reset a new narrative by explaining WHY.
My mind:
Q: What are you doing for your mind?
A: Practicing self-compassion - I'm practicing self-compassion because there is no benefit in beating myself up and its understandable to get frustrated when things don't go as planned.
Q: What aren't you doing for your mind?
A: Beating myself up - The barriers I am facing are out of my control so blaming myself isn't accurate or helpful. I am only responsible for how I respond to the challenge, not the challenge itself.
My body:
Q: What are you doing for your body?
A: Exercising - Exercise helps me stay level, so I got out there for a quick run to reset.
Q: What aren't you doing for your body?
A: Eating a TON of sugar and few healthy foods (Thanks holidays!) - Time for me to head back to moderation-ville. The holiday cookies were tremendous but I feel better when I eat better.
Even when we know whats best for us, sometimes we find ourselves doing the opposite. When we are able to ask our mind and body these simple questions, we can flip the answers to the correct question, reset our narrative and get back on track. Practice it. You've got this.
