Petrified. It should be my nickname. Right along with neurotic and insomniac and…..well, too many other unflattering things.
Life is pretty dang petrifying right now, isn’t it? My harried brain ricochets from worrisome headlines to family stressors to career roadblocks multiple times an hour.
An hour? Andra, be honest. I can run this self-defeating circuit in less than a minute. Living sometimes mimics a sick carnival ride.
I know I’m not alone. Here’s how I’m trying to refocus when the act of living leaves me petrified.
- Immerse in a hobby – I rediscovered my love of baking. At MTM’s request, I perfected my hazelnut biscotti technique. And I don’t know how many pounds I’ve gained from batches of Back in the Day Bakery’s Rosemary Focaccia. Stress melts into the background while I watch my KitchenAid macerate various ingredients. Plus, I have something tangible to show for my little escape.
- Rediscover the inner geek – Ok, I admit it……I LOVE reading about black holes. I pore over photos from the Hubble Space Telescope and devour articles on physics, history, and archaeology. It’s healthy to reconnect with how long the universe has been here, how humanity has NOT succeeded in destroying itself, and how many mysteries we still have to solve.
- Redirect, redirect, redirect – Whenever I find myself following a negative thought arc, I get up and do something active. I guess that means I’ve been pretty frenetic of late. But I can’t spiral downward when I’m occupied. A quick yoga session, a stroll around the neighborhood, or a quick coffee with MTM usually set me aright.
I’m still petrified most of the time, but I’m coping.
For now.
PS: MTM kisses make everything better, too. 🙂
How are you coping with the barrage of TOO MUCH PETRIFYING STUFF?
9 Comments
I cope with music, writing short prayers (lately), and being outside with the dog or in some hunter/gatherer mode.
All good coping mechanisms. ❤️
I have found that social media seems to magnify “negativity noise” to the point that it is unbearable. When I see that happening I just turn it off and read a good book. Listening to music also helps to calm things down a lot.
I stay away from social media also. Too much defeating noise.
Writing and music, that helps…
Yes and yes! I agree on both counts.
Andra, I also want to thank you for being vulnerable. It takes courage to be real and to let people know what you are dealing with. Most people might think that things are just lovely and perfect in your life all of the time. We all have things we have to deal with on a day to day basis. I for one love reading your posts. I believe that they add quality to our lives. Hugs
I appreciate this, James. Thank you.
I so agree! Baking is becoming more and more of a passion. I’m trying not to eat everything and to give most of it away! Music, gardening and poetry…all soften the hard edges, and I’m grateful! 🙂
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