Dealing with Extreme Difficulty

Over the past year, I faced some of the most difficult challenges of my life.  I felt like I was losing it, like I could hardly keep my head above water, and I found myself struggling with anxiety.  I was in a spiral that I didn't know how to get out of.  This struggle impacted my daily well-being and my relationships. Although I knew that my thinking made a huge impact on what I was experiencing, I found it very challenging to shift my thoughts to being more positive.

A few key behavior changes helped me shift the pattern:

1. Communicating where I was at with those closest with me.  I tend to keep things inside and try to solve them myself.  As I opened up and shared what was going on, the support and advice that I got helped me feel more confident about myself, see past my perspective, and navigate to new solutions that I hadn't considered before.  
2. Focusing on the solution rather than the challenges.  I found that during this period, I tended to focus too much on how things were at that moment and what was wrong.  This limited my ability to create the change that was needed.  By directing more of my energy toward possibility and innovative approaches, I was able to get past the hurdles that stopped me in the past.
3. Prioritizing my well-being.  I tried many different methods to find something that made me feel more peaceful each day.  The one that really made an impact was meditating.  I am now meditating every week day for 10 minutes as part of my morning routine.  This helps to calm my mind and start my day from a more grounded place.  

I can't say that my life is perfect now, but I am feeling a huge sense of ease and peace with my days.  I am once again excited for what's to come rather than fearing it.  I can more easily focus on what I'm thankful for (there is so much) and how I want to impact others with the time I have.  That's my favorite place to play in.

Thanks to everyone who supported me and was understanding during the past year.  Love you!