The Long Game - Issue #190

Daylight savings time ends this weekend and it begins a shift to the colder months of the year. As the seasons begin to change our routines begin to change. The days become shorter, you start to spend more time inside, and you might even notice your mood shifts. 

As it gets colder outside, don’t forget to take some time to connect with nature. Get outside and walk barefoot in the grass, make sure you’re getting morning sunlight, and don’t be afraid of the cold! We evolved to be in nature and to experience the seasons. If you stay inside all fall and winter, you are only cutting yourself from your natural capacities. We are nature.

Check-in with the stories you’re creating in your head. A lot of the stories we create in our minds such as the cold being bad are given to us as children by well-meaning adults. This comes to affect us into believing that our external environment controls how we feel. Not only the weather but also what people say to us. In reality, one of the few things we can control is our thoughts. No matter what happens to us during the day, our perception of the event is under our control. If we allow external factors to dictate our mood, it is much easier to get angry and upset. Where in your life are you just going along with what society tells you? Are you allowing external events to run your emotions? The choice is yours, explore your thoughts and make sure they are your own, not out-of-date software running your life.

When good or bad things happen to us we never know how they will work out in the long run. As this parable discusses, we never know the full consequences of what happens to us. Say you just got fired from a job and think your life is over. Well, maybe that is just the kick you needed to go out and find a better opportunity. Remember, events aren’t inherently good or bad, they just are. It is our mind that equates these values. Keep moving forward and good things will happen, even in tough circumstances.

Lots of people struggle with constant worry and as this article discusses feel off if they don’t have anything to worry about. This can be a difficult personality trait to live with but there is hope. When we worry like this we don’t feel safe. We could be harnessing deep issues we need to discuss with a therapist. Finding the right person to work through this with you could lead to a much more fulfilling life in the long-term. Don’t be afraid to seek help.

Do you find that you revert back to bad habits when you’re under stress? You’re not alone! We all tend to do this because our old habits use less energy and during stressful times our brain tries to conserve energy. It is one of the reasons why we head to the cookie jar or grab a cocktail after a long day. One of the keys to changing these habits is becoming aware of how you respond to stress. We typically feel it in the body first, whether it is a tightness in the chest or a nagging feeling you can’t get away from. Once you notice these responses, you can use breathing techniques and other tools to help shift your state before you get too far down the road. We all have these tools but unfortunately, we are rarely taught how to use them. If you’re interested in learning more, let’s set up a call and discuss.

Before I go, checkout a few more links I found this week.

If you would like to support The Long Game, please visit my patreon page. I hope you enjoyed another edition of The Long Game, feel free to pass it along.

In Health,

Taylor