Overcoming the Deadliest Month
Advice on navigating overwhelm and anxiety.
Since January has come to a close, I and many others around me have felt extremely anxious, overloaded with work, and overwhelmed.
Statistically, January is the most fatal month of the year. We go from December- a month of closing down our work, being around people 24/7 to a January- a month of hustle, usually by ourselves, with no end in sight.
And to add on top of this, we have seasonal affective disorder (SAD) still in full swing, and we go directly into a month that is centered around measuring how much love we have for one another (February 14, Valentine’s Day).
In this extreme shift from month to month, it’s okay to feel overwhelmed.
And with how much this is being encouraged by media, you should feel overwhelmed.
If this resonates with you, a few tips of advice:
- Assess if you are getting what you need as Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs suggests.
Are you getting enough rest or nutrients?
How are your finances and overall health and balance of stress?
How are your relationships personally and professionally?
How do you feel about yourself?
And lastly, are you aligned with your purpose? - Address issues from bottom up.
When there are many things out of balance, address them separately. We often think that there is a single solution for all of our problems, but the reality is… there isn’t. Completing a work assignment isn’t going to radically improve your health. Mending a relationship won’t guarantee that you’ll get out of an unstable financial situation.
Write a list of all the things that are ruminating in your head and tackle them one by one, starting with the lowest common denominator: your health, sleep, and nutrition. You can’t work if your body can’t function. - Create a buffer before you even need it.
Give yourself more time and opportunity to do the things that nourish you. To buffer in rest, end the day a lot sooner than normal. To buffer in improved nutrition, add more healthy options to your pantry. To buffer stress at work, negotiate a smaller deliverable and pad it with extra time. (We often underestimate how long things will take- I am extremely guilty of this.)
By giving yourself space, you can start to regain control over what might have seemed like a lost cause. - Lastly, give yourself some compassion.
Forgive yourself for where you are today. Don’t let the past discourage the potential of today. And don’t let the future that hasn’t happened, paralyze you from moving toward your goals.
With each day, a new opportunity to try something new or to continue chipping away at that larger goal you’ve always dreamed of.
The world is in a very tumultuous state right now and we need to take care of ourselves first if we want to be here for the future.
I recently published a podcast on a topic that hits a bit close to my heart — death. A little over a week ago, I had a friend from San Diego pass away while he was getting ready for work. Life is extremely precious and we often forget how quickly it can disappear. We need to focus less on others and more on ourselves during this short time on Earth.
I host a podcast called Yellow Glitter, mindfulness through the eyes and soul of a gay Asian. You can find it on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, Overcast, and TuneIn.
Along with a bit of weekly mindfulness, I send out my favorite things I discover each week on my email newsletter at Mindful Moments.
Thanks for reading! Until next time.
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