I realized today that perfectionism and dissociation are
the opposite ends of my spectrum of dysfunctional coping strategies. I either
totally check-out and do things on autopilot or I get possessed by anxiety and
have emotional upheavals over every tiny detail of a task. Either method comes
with its side effects and blocks to success. The real gold in this realization
is that I remembered how I completely forget, over and over, about calm
awareness or “natural” awareness--that lovely state of balance where things
happen by being in Flow. I have been here before. I will probably be here
again. Nevertheless, I endeavor to make these getting-lost-in-the-wilderness times less
frequent and less intense.
Some signposts for myself:
1.
Inhabit your body as soon as you awake. Breathe,
stretch, drink tea, do yoga.
2.
Slow….down. Start your day by doing small,
simple tasks slowly and mindfully.
3.
Experience the natural world. Get outside for
even a few minutes each morning. Sweep the front walk. Weed a square foot of
flower bed. Have tea on the back porch.
4.
Don’t think—Experience. Use all of your five
senses without creating a monologue in your head.
5.
Ask, “What would make me smile right now?” Smile
6.
Walk somewhere as often as possible. Don’t
hurry. Take a photo and blog about it.
7.
If you have to do something that will take you
out of Flow, ask for assistance from someone who can remain grounded.
What I’m reading now:
Finding Flow: The Psychology of Engagement with Everyday
Life
By Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
