I need a break.
This is not always easy for me to say, and harder for me to do. Call it a flaw. I tend to treat myself like a machine, and even when my body, my mind, and the universe are clearly showing me that I am not a machine, I tend to ignore that and carry on. One might argue that this tendency could have contributed to developing anxiety problems to begin with, but that’s a different topic for another day.
Sometimes on The Anxious Morning I talk about what life looks like after recovery. Today, it looks like coming to grips with the idea that I need a little break. I’ve talked about knowing that when I have an anxious day or experience anxiety symptoms that it tends to mean that I’m pushing myself a bit too far into the red zone and need to step back for a few minutes or a few hours to re-group and quiet things down. Well I’m not experiencing anxiety or anything like that, but my enthusiasm and creativity are sagging a bit for the last couple of weeks so this tells me that its time to step back, make a little room, and re-charge the battery.
This is where remaining in touch with reality rather than responding only to thoughts and feelings can be helpful. If I put all my stuff out on a table where I can see it clearly, it makes things easier to navigate. I’ve now written a morning newsletter and created a morning podcast every day since January 1. I still produce a weekly podcast. I’m still posting on social media and trying to remain active in my Facebook group. AND I’m a full time graduate student and running my old businesses at the same time. In the old days I might get swept up in WHY I’m feeling like this, and what it means, and worrying that I might always feel like this. But now I can look rationally at the situation, and see that I’ve been operating at a high level for a very long time without stopping. I can recognize that humans do need to take breaks now and then. Making these observations of reality, this then becomes a very normal transient human state that does not morph into an emotional or anxiety crisis, even though I’m tired and feeling some things, which used to spell disaster.
That is part of what recovery looks like. Much of my ability to work through things like this comes directly from the lessons I learned when working on overcoming anxiety disorders and depression. For this I will always be grateful.
So, next week - July 11 through 15 - there will be no new editions of The Anxious Morning newsletter or podcast. I will likely not create any social media content next week, might be totally absent from the Facebook group and I may even not release episode 216 of The Anxious Truth next week. All of this makes me uncomfortable but I tell you guys to do uncomfortable things all the damn time so I can do it too, right? And really, I know that I can best serve the community by disconnecting for the week and coming back refreshed, so that is what I will do.
I appreciate all of you and the support you so enthusiastically give for the work I do. Keep doing the things, keep learning the lessons, and we’ll be back at it here on July 18, bright-eyed and bushy tailed.
In fact, I think we’re gonna do a little thing called “What I Did Over Drew’s Summer Vacation.” If you wanna post your exposures, your challenges, and your wins online, you can do that in my Facebook group or on Instagram. Tag me either way. On Instagram use the hashtag #IAmMore because we are ALL more than just anxiety. I’ll complile them and we’ll spread some love when The Anxious Morning returns. Yeah, I’m digging this idea, so let’s go!
What interests me in life is curiosity, challenges, the good fight with its victories and defeats. - Paulo Coelho
Every Friday I’ll share one of my favorite quotes. They’ll often have direct application in recovery, but sometimes they’re just generally funny, inspiring, or thought-provoking. I hope you enjoy them.
135. When It's Time To Take A Break