Weekly: Be where you are
Last weekend, we had a very strange occurrence happen here in California: a hurricane (that came with a bonus earthquake halfway through.)
In the days leading up to the storm's arrival, I was very anxious. We were running around, trying to prepare to protect our home and ourselves, making sure we had enough supplies and that we were prepared in case of worst case scenarios. My mind kept drifting ahead, imagining all manner of awful outcomes, asking, "What if this happens? What if that happens?" At the end of those days of worrying, nothing bad at all happened: a lot of wind, a lot of rain, and thankfully, not much else. But my stress about the future certainly destroyed a lot of possibility for joy in the present.
In today's newsletter, I want to share a tool that I find useful in these times of heightened anxiety. I hope that, in the moments where you feel stressed and afraid, you can apply it for yourself, too.
With love,
Stephanie Harrison, founder of The New Happy
This Week
This is a very simple — but powerful — tool. It works so well because it both acknowledges how you are feeling in the present moment and brings you back to experiencing the present moment.
The next time you are stressing about the future, pause and ask yourself these two questions:
Am I in danger right now?
Can I choose to be here right now?
Your anxiety serves a purpose: it wants to keep you safe. However, in its valiant attempts to do this, it has intruded into the present moment and stolen the joy that’s available right here and now. Sometimes, just asking these two questions is enough to help you shake off your worries and return to this moment.
More Tips and Tools
1. Don't wait to feel confident — This week's animation.
2. More than one way to grow — Inner growth drives outer transformation.
3. Get out of your own way — Perfection keeps you stuck.
4. It takes time — Be patient with yourself.
5. Don't know-it-all — Ask questions instead.
Or listen to the podcast episodes (Apple, Spotify) from this week!
Community
What is something you're worrying about?
"My safety and protection."
"The decline of my mother's health."
"Not living in the present and regretting the things I didn’t verbalize with the people I love before it’s too late. Telling them how much I love and admire them."
"My sister's mental health."
Being a part of my brother's upcoming wedding when we're not in the best place currently. Our relationship is strained and my emotions are conflicting between pride and anger.
"Getting all my jobs done before the summer holidays end and I have to go back to work."
"I’m worried I won’t be able to provide for my baby boy if I decide to leave my job."
"It’s not a constant worry, but it comes up every now and then…finances. My worry is struggling to find freedom in a society that values income over time."
Inspiration
1. Man stops traffic to show people the view through his telescope (Patch) — This was the right decision.
2. Prison can be a hostile place — then the birds came (The Appeal) — "In prison, guys act tough and move carefully within a highly segregated environment. But once those birds planted themselves outside our window, those barriers melted away."
3. For his 50th wedding anniversary, man plants a field of sunflowers (CNN) — The best gift I've ever seen.
Before You Go
No spam, just joy.
