It has been an extremely tough year for me and so I will be glad to say goodbye to 2016. Earlier in the year I found myself faced with a very unexpected event that forced me to re-think my approach. I think this is called being ‘blindsided’, which means I did not see it coming.
What this has meant for me personally is that I have found myself forced with having to face a set of circumstances that weren’t part of my plan. And I had some big plans this year!
If you’ve ever experienced being blindsided in this way then you’ll know how paralysing it can be. And as someone who runs my own business, where it is important to be ‘up’ and generating ideas, it’s been tough!
When you are trying to cope it’s really hard to innovate.
It’s also really hard to think about the future.
And your focus becomes about getting through the day.
Some mornings, when I was first processing the shock of the situation, I found myself lying in bed, not looking forward to the day.
I felt unsure and insecure about what to do.
My ‘worrying’ started to impact on my physical state and my breathing became irregular. Thinking it was perhaps related to my heart, I visited my local GP. She helped me understand that what I was experiencing was in fact anxiety, and this was as a result of how I was emotionally responding to the circumstances I had found myself in.
Anxiety in Australia
During Mental Health week back in October I read some statistics about anxiety that surprised me (but in some ways was reassuring as I realised I was not alone). Did you know that anxiety is the most common mental health condition in Australia? On average, 1 in 4 people – 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men – will experience anxiety.
Anxiety is an uncomfortable feeling of fear or imminent threat and is a normal emotional response to danger. It can be part of your genetic and biochemical make-up, as well as a part of your personality. There are many things that can trigger anxiety, such as your environment, stressful situations like exams, work pressure, family problems or a trauma.
Anxiety is also a very individual response. What makes one person anxious may not have the same effect on another person.
Feeling anxious is often perfectly normal, but there also times when it may interfere with normal day-to-day activities.
Dealing with the Heaviness I Felt
For me the anxiety felt heavy. It was a mental load I was carrying that drained me of my energy. When I got up each morning I already felt tired as I had spent the night worrying. I had to make my way through each day trying to push through this heavy load.
And you know what I said to myself?
Don’t give up.
Find a glimmer of hope.
Work through it.
On good days I thought of a positive affirmation, focused on my intention for the day and what I wanted to attract. I also found myself saying a few extra prayers.
There were days when I did not ask for help and I stayed in the darkness of my worries.
And there were days that I did ask for help.
Are You Okay?
If you are wondering, I am okay.
What I learnt was that you have to believe in yourself.
You have to believe in what you are doing.
And you have to ride out the darkness.
If you’ve been feeling blindsided lately, I feel your pain.
I am a passionate Career Consultant who works with individuals in the explore and search phase of their career journey, helping you realise your strengths through my career coaching and training programs. I enjoy showing people the path to greater career satisfaction and providing insight and tools to help you make your next career move.
Sources:
https://www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts
https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/anxiety
https://www.adaa.org/tips-manage-anxiety-and-stress
I am a passionate Career Coach who works with individuals in the explore and search phase of their career journey, helping you realise your strengths through my career coaching and training programs. I enjoy showing people the path to greater career satisfaction and providing insight and tools to help you make your next career move.
