Last week there was an intruder in my home. It took time for me to realize that an invasion had occurred but, as the morning went on, I knew something wasn’t right. I slowly began to notice the tell-tale signs: feelings of anxiety, a frown, negative thoughts, silence instead of my usual singing, an overall “uneasy” feeling. Then it finally dawned on me…the ‘silent intruder’ was STRESS!
For many reasons (mostly good), my usual morning resilience routine had slowly evaporated over the dog days of summer and I had unknowingly let the things that increase my level of stress invade my life:
- I listened to the news first thing in the morning (that alone is enough to send ANYONE into a stress response!);
- I checked my email and even sat down right away and answered a couple of them just to get them off the “To Do” list;
- I started thinking about all the things I needed to accomplish throughout the day.
Yeesh, I was in dire need of a resilience reboot!
If you’re also trying to deal with the ‘silent intruder’ lurking in your life this fall, check out these quick and easy ideas:
Fall Resilience Reboots
1. Be aware! The first “A” in my “Triple A Your Life” formula. Remember, you can’t change things you’re not aware of so make time to check-in with your physical, mental and emotional self.
2. Eat breakfast; it is the most important meal of the day for your body AND your mind.
3. Create a morning routine that increases resilience and diminishes stress – one that kicks-butt!
4. Wake up to energizing or relaxing music: your choice. (Today I danced around the house to “September” by Earth Wind and Fire. Talk about energizing!!)
5. Meditate or practice mindfulness – there are apps to help guide you. (Even a minute or two is better than nothing at all.)
6. Read an inspiring quote. One of my favourites is from Marianne Williamson: “It’s not the darkness that frightens us….”
7. Choose one thing to do today that fulfills your real priorities.
8. Create a daily, weekly or monthly personal mantra to keep you on track. I use and re-use “I Create My Life.” I love it and it reminds me that I’m in control of me and my life’s direction.
Small changes can make a BIG difference and subsequently be super impactful to your entire life experience. So what are you waiting for? Help yourself fall into fall with a stress-free routine!
p.s. Getting back into the ‘groove’ of things after the lazy, hazy days of summer can be challenging. Here are some more simple tips to de-stress this fall.