Most of us have got too much on our minds. We’re living in a challenging era with much we can, and can’t control.

We must remember that we can only control our thoughts and our actions.

Yet, often the residual stories in the news, let alone our own individual problems can cloy our heads, and in so, we can become distracted and forgetful. When you factor-in the deficiency of spare time that most of us have to juggle our many chores around with: it can cause further preventable anxieties.

We must be mindful too, that the festive season can be stressful, and this is where my lowest denominator thinking can be supportive. It’s a simple exercise that can make us feel in better control of our minds and stop us feeling over-whelmed.

It’s about reducing our self- narrative lists that seem to mushroom when we’re feeling most vulnerable. Here are some examples:

• You still have seasonal food items to buy. This is the first Christmas since covid that you can see your whole family, so you want to create the best feast.
• You’ve written a last minute to do list but when you’re in the shop, you can’t recall any of it
• You know you only need a few more basic ingredients, but you’ve forgotten what they are
• You’ve only got a limited amount of time to buy gifts, because you’re especially busy at work, but when you finally get shopping, you can’t recall who you still need to buy for.

 

None of us deserve that panicky feeling, so to help prevent it, simply think of each differing task in numbers. Recalling a number is far simpler to do, than trying to memorise an entire list. Using my above example, here is what I suggest:

 

• You realise that you need: Cranberry sauce / pigs in blankets / A Christmas pudding and a joint of beef. – That’s FOUR items, so just remember the number 4
• When you re-look at your to do list, which I recommend you do after a good night’s sleep, you realise that most of it centres around housework. How many rooms have you got, let’s say FIVE, so therefore simply remember the number 5, and only focus on one room at a time
• You’ve identified that you only need: Black bags / cello tape and soft drinks, therefore just remember the number three
• You know the only gifts outstanding are for your colleagues, so simply count how many work friends you wish to buy for, and if it’s two, then simply remember the number two.

 

Because you have already written a lofty to do list, you are already familiar with what you feel you need to do. Similarly, you already know many of the food items you wish to buy, because you either purchase them regularly. Or, they’ve been pre-discussed. For example, whilst you don’t buy Quorn every week, you know that one of your guests is vegan, so this will be in your mind anyway.

This exercise is about self-trust, and you will be amazed when you’re recalling a specific number- i.e., four for the last-minute food shop, how easily the named items come back to mind. It’s a bit like zipping a file on your computer.  Whilst it takes practice, it doesn’t take as much as you may think, and I find it a useful tool in managing my wellbeing.

 

SUNNY wishes,

Emma x