Written by: Sruti Kanabar, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
It has been over a year since the first lockdown was announced in the UK, and we are now easing into a new normality. For some, this entails seeing their family and friends for coffee or lunch after an exceptionally long time. For others, it is going to their first business workshop not knowing what to expect as they have been confined to the online world and the flexibility it brings. All of this whilst witnessing other parts of the world still fighting to keep their people safe and COVID free.
Personally, I have had my journey of depression and anxiety over the past nine years, and I have learned to strip a lot of my anxieties away in the past 12 months with success.
So how does one still set goals and take purposeful action when they either struggle with their mental well-being or feel anxious because of the current pandemic? Here are some questions to reflect on your current state before we get to the goal-setting part.
How are you feeling right now?
With what is going on, you may be feeling a variety of emotions, angry, sad, anxious, happy, and the list goes on. For me, it has helped to label the feelings I feel more accurately and go beyond the umbrella term of anxiety.
For example, feeling afraid, stressed, vulnerable, confused, worried, cautious, and nervous all fall into the umbrella term of anxiety (David, 2016). So, what is that you are feeling? What is causing you to feel this way? These are all great questions to help you become more ‘emotionally agile’ and embrace change more effectively.
This process has helped me greatly. I have gone from saying I was feeling tired when I felt a lot of sadness nine years ago to understand what makes me feel vulnerable rather than going into a state of feeling anxious about feeling anxious. Something I am sure a lot of you can relate to.
What is within your control right now?
When facing such a pandemic, it can feel very overwhelming, with the constant updates, the changes around working from home, and keeping your family safe. I remember how on edge I felt during my first essential visit to the supermarket. However, it is important to remember that we can only control our behavior, and we do not have to figure everything out in one go to take the next action.
Do you find yourself imagining dreadful scenarios of what may happen?
Personally, I can empathize with you because that state had become my go-to place for solitude. However, I choose to stay out of it as much as possible because I have realized that reality can be different if we focus on being in the present moment and use our imagination for what we want to happen instead.
Imagine the growth you can have within your personal life and the business you want to build!
What actually does define you as a person?
Is it your illness, problems, mistakes, thoughts, and emotions, or is it your personality, perspective, life experiences, goals, attitude, habits, hobbies, and passions?
My life started to become even more beautiful when I realized it was the latter that defined me as an individual. Then, managing depression and anxiety became secondary for me. I stopped using it as a reason not to be the best version of myself and to pursue my dreams. I got the help that I needed; it can be a painful process at times, though so worthwhile.
What would you like to achieve within the next 3 months?
So now you have a better awareness of your current state, what do you want to achieve in the next three months?
Is it to be more proactive to change within your business? Is it to have a better work-life balance during the pandemic? What are the next steps for you to be, feel and do even better?
As they say, a goal without a plan of action is just a dream, so what is next?
I hope I have encouraged you to get the help that you need. Whether you feel that you may need the help of a counselor, therapist, or coach, you must take the appropriate action right now.
If you believe that you can bridge the gap between your present and future, coaching may be the intervention. A coach can assess where you are with your mental health journey and establish if they can support you. If you feel I could be the coach for you, then please do contact me.
Love,
Sruti
Sruti Kanabar, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Sruti Kanabar is a distinguished Life and Small Business Coach. During her journey with Depression and Anxiety, she has found her purpose in helping women accept that they are good enough to live the life and build the business they want. She transforms women by increasing their shame resilience, helping them heal from minor and major traumas from the past, and connecting to a great purpose in life so when setbacks, obstacles, and failures come, they are seen as a beautiful part of the journey rather than being internalized. She empowers women through wisdom and knowledge nuggets from multiple faiths and disciplines to get the right solution to the challenges they face in life.
