Thoughts About Over-Thinking Things

I was writing a blog last Wednesday about a completely different topic and then it stumped me.
Stumped me so much that I had to do some research. This research drove me up the wall and back down again and because of this, I thought of a completely different topic....
 
One of my biggest problems used to be that I thought too much.

I overanalyzed any little problem until it became a bigger/scarier thing in my mind. I overthought positive things until they didn’t seem to be that positive anymore. I deconstructed things until the happiness that comes from just being in a moment and enjoying it fell apart.

Based on a lot of conversations I've had, I’m not alone in this.

So how do we not over-think things?
In today’s blog I’d like to share some things you need to stop doing to step out of your own way, simplify your thinking habits and make things so much easier.

Stop setting your day up for stress.
Crazy days are nothing one can avoid entirely. At least not if you want to live a full life. But if you have bad habits for how you plan and live your regular day then that can lead to a lot of unnecessary stress and over-thinking.

What to do instead:

• Get a good start. Nothing makes my day better then having a bagel BLT w/egg in the morning and going for a bike ride. So you should try the same: start your day with a few simple habits like a good breakfast, maybe a bit of exercise and then get started with an easy task.
• Single-tasking + regular breaks. As a woman, I understand doing several things at once is how we normally work but guess what! If you just work and work your whole day then your body and mind will become overwhelmed. Thoughts will start running wild and often down negative paths as stress rises in your body and mind. To prevent this and to do focused work without tearing yourself down schedule regular breaks every hour.
• Minimize your input. I love my social media as much as the next person but....too much information, too many times of  “just taking a few minutes” on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram clutter into your mind during a day. This shoots your thoughts off in more ways and gets your mind extra active. To keep your thinking simple, simplify and reduce the input.

Stop getting lost in the future or the past so much. When you focus too much of your attention on what happened and replaying it over and over or on imagining the future then that usually leads to worries.
What to do instead:

• Be here now.
• Reconnect with the present moment when you get lost.

Stop working without any firm boundaries.
If you have no boundaries for your work hours then you can easily get lost in working too much and in stressful thoughts about your job/school going round and round in your head.
Even when you are spending quality time with your family. Or as you toss and turn and try to go to sleep.

What to do instead:

• Set a stop time.
• Make a firm decision to spend your evenings with other things than thinking about your work. Fill that time with other activities that recharge and relax you.
• Remind yourself of the consequences. When you catch yourself with floating back into work thoughts or school thoughts, remind yourself of the consequences of doing so. Such as increasing stress levels, missing the other important parts of your life like friends and family. 

Chit's Post Internship Post ;)

I have been thinking of writing a blog post on how my experience as a social media intern at GPHSF helped me for pursue of my career. However, it is a little too late, but I guess it’s better late than never. First thing first, I am not really a good writer; my writing skill is super weak, so bear with me. As long as, you can understand my story, I am happy.

 I did my internship as a social media intern at GPHSF in May. I was there only for a month, but that experience alone helped me a lot during job-hunting period. First is the impression that I paid back the community I lived in by offering my internship at a non-profit organization like GPHSF. We are actively involved in social media, which in turn, showed the employers that being a social media intern is not just a position, but also an actual job and has distinctive publicity benefits. I told them in the interview, how we work together and how we enjoy working for the foundation, I find that the potential employers are impressed most of the time. But, that’s not the only benefit that I get from GPHSF.

During my internship at GPHSF, I learned that mistakes are lessons to learn and later to be used. Mistakes are not scary at all. Someone who never did anything wrong is most likely someone who never did anything. So, I learned how to challenge myself and be bold and be myself. I am very thankful both Hannah and Carol for teaching me and letting me how to be myself. Like I said, I did so many mistakes while I was working for GPHSF (you can see my very first post about my experience at Alexander Medical Center. FYI, it was hectic. ) However, that experience alone taught me how to handle in such situation. I am very thankful that our lovely executive director Hannah and communication coordinator Carol for being so supportive.

I have learned my lessons, but I guess they never really end. Life is going to keep giving me lessons in the form of mistakes. It’s up to me to learn them and used them to my benefits. Thank you all for reading my little post and keep on rocking Team GPHSF !!!!!

 Chit

Teamwork

Our 'Foundation 4' team at the corporate run and relay event. 

Chair Laura Boden, Hannah Routly, Carol Lawless and Orma Hogarth. 

Mind and Body Connection

After watching the Peterborough Corporate Run and Relay Race on Saturday with a friend I started to think about the way I feel when I run. I came to the decision that I feel like a tiger; at peace in the jungle moving swiftly through the trees, ready to strike at any moment. It makes me feel centered and in control of everything around me and everything inside of me. In a way you could say I use it  as a form of meditation.

The following Monday in my Lifestyle Coaching class we learned about mind and body connection:

• How it is used to enhance the mind’s capacity in assisting the body to do what it needs to do;
• Why some people don't partake in mind/body connection exercises and; 
• What are some strategies to help people partake.  

Sounds boring to some people I know, but knowing this could be really beneficial to someone looking to do something different, so bare with me.

So you want to know why it's good for you? Well....it decreases anxiety, decreases pain, enhances sleep, strengthens your immune system, enhances the ability to heal, and increases your sense of control and well-being.  It can also improve flexibility, strength, posture and balance, along with coordination, stress management and focus.

ALL GOOD THINGS RIGHT?

Why don't people do this more often? 

Lack of money, time, education, professional resources, awareness and interest.

Now forget all of those barriers and focus on how you can get around that..

Time management, support from others, professional support, educational strategies, motivational strategies, and more importantly research. You have the resources right at your finger tips. Go ahead, go to Google and type in, "Mind and Body Exercises".

If you are looking for something different in your workouts—exercise that will engage your body and mind and make you feel like a peaceful tiger then maybe this could be something for you.

Here are a few things that can maybe kick start your research even further: visualization, yoga, pilates, nia, martial arts, tai chi, dance, music, prayer, meditation, support groups and cognitive-behavioral therapy.

All very useful and fun!

Don't be afraid to leave a comment and ask questions about this subject. 
I am full of answers.

Don't Sweat The Small Stuff

There are two types of people in this world: those who pick up their accidentally dropped keys with no complaints and go along their way and those who, more often than not, can't pick them up without cursing or letting out a big, miserable sigh.

 

For the longest time, I was that second person. As much as I wanted to be that person who took life's small slights and setbacks with a shrug, I wasn't. I freaked out, blew up, and flew off the proverbial handle in a loud huff whenever something bothered me.

It wasn't until I was sitting on the floor crying because I couldn't get out of my jacket that I realized maybe it wasn't the best approach to dealing with things. Maybe it wasn't the healthiest approach...

In my Fitness and Health Promotion program at Sir Sandford Fleming we learn about how feeling chronically stressed increases the risk of heart disease and weakens the immune system. We learn that if we could all be more even-keeled (so we didn't sweat the small stuff), we would enhance our physical and mental health.

I want to share with you a few simple things that I think about that help me to not sweat the small stuff that I picked up over the years. 

1. Think about it. Will what happened affect your life significantly? 
2. Look at the big picture. Why are you really feeling that way?
3. Focus on the present.
4. Breath.
5. Name the emotions you're feeling. This reduces the activation of your emotional brain and engages your reasoning brain. It will help you focus on fixing the problem.
6. Speak positively.
7. If something doesn't happen the way you envisioned, don't get angry. Sometimes a spontaneous change of plans can be fun.
8. Understand that happiness is a choice.
9. Remember, your problem is like a snowflake. Are you going to let one tiny snowflake stop you from living? It'll melt away soon enough. 
10. Not everything is an emergency.

If you met me today, you would think nothing bothered me. You would think I am one of the most optimistic/down-to-earth people out there. I am happy and healthy and I haven't had an anxiety attack in years because of it. 

So next time you trip over a curb or spill mustard down your shirt, take a step back and think before you start cursing. Shrugging it off will help your mind, body and spirit in the long run and believe me, it's worth it.

Meeting Season

The smell of fall is in the air and this means the return of 'meeting season'.  For those who work in nonprofit we know this time as rush time to book and confirm the slew of board and committee meetings that are on hiatus over the summer.

There is something about this routine that is oddly comforting; perhaps that's why I continue on in nonprofit/charitable work after 15+ years!

September also marks the return of placement students from the local Trent University or Fleming College programs, a very welcome addition to our 'small shop' here at the Health Services Foundation.

Kassandra Sewell joins us today from the Fleming Fitness & Health Promotion Program.  She will be here every Wednesday for 7 weeks helping with the www.ptbocorporaterun.com event on Sat September 13 and the 'Laughter is the Best Medicine' luncheon on Nov 28.

Kassandra, hard at work on her first day.