Not having a good day

[firecat]

When I get stressed in certain ways then I start getting a zillion messages per minute running through my head, all of which have the words "YOU SHOULD" in them.

If this happens to you too, how do you turn it off?


(There's no emergency. I just want to fix a bunch of things that I am not in a position to fix, although I might be able to influence them.)

Comments

[saoba]

I take deep breaths. I make a list of the things I can do and figure out when I can do them, sometimes writing them on the calendar. That seems to take it off my brain's 'aieee' list and shift it to 'I have a plan'.

I sometimes take up some task that requires a sharper focus- Those hidden object games sometimes help because you have to really look at the jumbled pictures and puzzle things out. Or I listen to music while I do something like knitting, in order to take up more of my processing space.

If it's messing with my being able to relax into sleep I use a nature sounds app on my phone. I'm partial to the ocean waves with thunderstorm, because I find both those things restful in real life.

In a pinch I settle myself by trying to recreate, in my head, a piece of music. 'Spem in alium' works well because it's complex and because I find it soothing and uplifting.

[tiger_spot]

I make a list of the things I can do and figure out when I can do them, sometimes writing them on the calendar.

Yes, I find to-do lists and schedules very helpful in that kind of state. Even if whatever's running through my head isn't something I can do, writing it down often helps. Getting repetitive thoughts on paper gets them out of my head.

[firecat]

Focusing is a good idea, since it's lack of focus that lets all the messages in at once.