top of page
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
Search

A tip for when you are struggling.

christinepoper


While learning about vicarious trauma (...what a way to start a blog!!) I learned a tip for what to do when you are beginning to feel the weight of the tragic stories that you are hearing:


Whatever negative or unhealthy emotional impact you are beginning to experience, ask yourself what the opposite of that is and how you can bring that regularly into your life.


In other words...

Feeling anxious? What normally brings you peace? Do it.

Feeling sorrow? What normally brings you joy? Do it.

Feeling hopeless? When do normally feel the most hopeful? Do it.


BOOM. This does not just help if you are working with people in trauma. This is something that can help you if you are dealing with any of those types of emotions/moods/experiences - regardless of why!


If you are struggling, intentionally include those things that give you and your body a healthy and positive experience. Schedule those babies in! Make them a part of your daily or weekly routine.



 


My Personal Examples:


I have battled anxiety on and off. (Some blogs on that coming)

It feels different at different times. It could be feeling overwhelmed, loss of control, depression... and sometimes it's like a constant adrenalin rush where my body just can't relax. Here are some things that I do to help:


*Puzzles*

So if I'm having a bad week, you will probably find me at my kitchen table doing a puzzle. "Hello, being in control! Hello, being able to move one piece at a time and there being order! Bye bye, chaos and confusion. I know what needs done here."


*Nature*

This is a big one for most people! One small but effective thing I do is I spend time just looking out my window in silence before the kids get up. I live in a city but there are trees outside my window and I can see the birds flying about. Simples.

I go for walks.

I make sure me and the family get away every so often to somewhere beautiful.

(There's tons of research about how nature impacts your mind and body and it is often used in therapeutic ways.¹)


*Books*

Give me a good book and I am a happy woman! These days its mainly audio books and if I'm having a stressful day I definitely stick on an audio book while I'm doing the dishes and the kids are entertained. Give me simple, fun stories with good endings please!


*Friendship*

Queue girl's night! I make sure that I have time with my friends. It's so easy to slip into isolation mode and it. does. not. help. That down time where I'm not in Mum-mode, Wife-mode, Job-mode, Project-mode... (you get the picture) is LIFE for my soul.


*Comedies*

I love laughter - it truly is medicine! So if I'm sitting down to watch something I will bypass anything stressful and go straight to lighthearted and funny shows, movies, books, podcasts etc.


And on that note... Don't just add things that bring you those opposite good feelings. Minimize those that trigger whatever you are struggling with. Maybe your favorite tv drama or sad book will have to be put on the back burner for a little bit. Maybe your news and facebook app can be taken off your phone for the next couple weeks to prevent the 'subconscious scroll.'

Simple, small actions can make a world of difference.



Be good to yourselves, folks. x

81 views

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


Shores of Grace

Check out The Poper Family blog and vlog for some Christian journey inspiration!

Subscribe here and get our latest updates sent straight to you!

Thanks for submitting!

© 2023 by On the Trail. Proudly created with Wix.com

bottom of page