Why is November so Hectic? Here are 5 Ways to Power You Through to Christmas!

2. A lot to Wrap Up Before The End of The Year

You can sense that Christmas is close, but you’ve still got so much work to wrap up before the year comes to a close. Moreover, #BlackFriday is around every corner wanting all of your hard-earned cash (… But let’s be honest, who doesn’t like that warm, fuzzy feeling you get from a round of online shopping?!).

November feels like the “Thursday morning” of the year. So close to the end, but not close enough. And as far as your mind is concerned, well it’s already on holiday, which makes your workday that much more torturous.

3. You May be Experiencing Burnout

There is also a good chance that you are overworked and/or experiencing burnout. A recent survey found that up to 79% of respondents were experiencing elevated levels of stress at work. Henceforth, we need a plan! A plan that reduces stress and emphasises calm, balance, and peace of mind.

Below are 5 super useful techniques and strategies to help you get through these next few weeks.

5 Super Useful Techniques & Strategies

1. This Too Shall Pass

“This too shall pass” may be one of the most profound statements I have ever read. If you take it to heart it will mean that even though times are dark and life is hard right, it won’t last forever. Knowing this, therefore, it is necessary to understand how negative thoughts work. When you get stuck in a negative thinking loop your mind will (1) never show you a positive outcome, and (2) frame it as though there will never be good times again. Clearly, the mind has a blind spot because it does not realise that you are merely having an experience that will (eventually) come to an end.

2. Take a Step Back

Did you know that the brain responds to a potential threat even before the individual is consciously aware of it? By using brain scanning technology, a 2008 study demonstrated that researchers were able to successfully predict with up to 60% accuracy whether participants would press a button located on their left or right side before the participants even became consciously aware of which one they wanted to push. If this is true, then can you imagine what is happening on a neurological level when you have a “knee-jerk” reaction to a potentially threatening or frustrating situation?

My advice, take a step back before you react…

Then, commit to taking 10 deep breaths, in and out.

Then, try to become fully aware of how the situation has physically affected you. There is a good chance your adrenalin is running so you will probably feel the classic fight/flight/freeze response kicking in. Your brain feels like you are in danger, so it has dumped a whole bunch of adrenalin in your bloodstream to help you get outta there!

To combat this adrenal surge you must take a step back and breathe. Deep breathing will do 2 things. (1) It will tell the brain to stop releasing adrenalin. (2) It will give you just enough time for you to consider how best to respond to the situation, instead of simply falling into old habits of reacting.

3. Manage Your Stress

If you find that you are highly stressed, small things can easily set you off, and/or you are a lot more frustrated with the world then it’s time to take some action to calm your nerves down… Literally! Too much stress makes a person’s brain hypersensitive to threats or danger so even a small irritation can be misinterpreted by the brain as a major threat which will continually activate your sympathetic nervous system and place you in a heightened state of arousal (Aka. Fight/flight/freeze response).

So, try this out. Simply take 30 seconds to listen to the sounds around you… Don’t worry, I’ll wait. What did you notice? Yes, there is a world outside of your noisy mind… I knew you would say that! What this simple exercise is doing is that it’s stopping the chatter of the mind, just for a moment, because remember, most of your daily thoughts are fair to extremely negative. Most of those thoughts are yesterday’s thoughts that you’ve brought with you into today. That’s a lot of useless, unconstructive noise running rampant in your head.

Therefore, practice some mindfulness exercises and change how your brain experiences the world. You need this… You know you do.

4. Be Kind to Yourself

Life is hard enough. The world is unforgiving, there is so much uncertainty, and just getting through each day can feel like a miracle. So why do you have to be so hard on yourself on top of all that?

Allow me to let you in on a little secret… You were born to make mistakes, feel overwhelmed, buckle under pressure, and repeat poor behaviour. Why? Because this is the human experience after all. This is how we learn. This is how we grow. This is life! No one’s perfect and no one was given a manual on how to do life properly. We all just fumbling in the dark together, trying to figure it all out.

So yes, commit to being better, but cut out the need to be unkind toward yourself. You need a friend, confidant, cheerleader, and coach. You need You. You have to be by your side during this rollercoaster called life.

5. You Will be Alright

If anything is certain in life, it’s this. Everything comes to an end. Everything. The good and the bad. Nothing lasts forever… True story! Thus, you will be alright.

However, if you find that you keep repeating the same patterns and you need to make some changes so that next year doesn’t become a repeat of this year then I want you to ask yourself some questions. They are:

• What will I lose if I don’t change right now?
• Am I more afraid of change or of staying the same?
• This time next year, do I want to be proud of the changes I made?
• What type of person do I want to be?
• What is it about change that I am most afraid of?
• Why is now the right time to change?
• Can I allow myself to work with bravery & courage as I move into change?
• What is the most important thing in my life?
• Who are the most important people in my life?
• How do I want my family and/or friends to see me?

Final Thoughts

You deserve a good life that is tailored to your needs. You deserve happiness, to feel appreciated, to reach for your dreams, and to understand the “real” you.

“There comes a time when the world gets quiet, and the only thing left is your own heart. So, you’d better learn the sound of it. Otherwise, you’ll never understand what it’s saying.” ― Sarah Dessen, Just Listen

Conclusion

I covered two important topics of why the “almost” end of the year might feel so hectic. I also discussed some powerful techniques and strategies that you can use immediately to help you get through this busy time.

Last but not least, if you feel that you are still not managing to calm your mind and alleviate your stress during this time, then I suggest contacting me so that you can have a life coach by your side.