The last post 5 days have been very chaotic in my life, with Ramadan around the corner, and I into the preparation for it, my mother had her episode of irregular heartbeat, and leaving everything aside, I had to attend to her, followed by my niece and nephew aged 9 and 11 respectively, one diagnosed with psoriasis and other on the verge of hospitalization due to severe throat infection, then a visit from a distant relative (uncle) diagnosed with stage 1 thyroid cancer staying at our place for further guidance and support.

I felt as if I was back in my tenth standard writing my math paper on the ICSE board, a time in my life I could never forget to date, filled with confusion, fear, and extreme stress.

I share these details with you, to let you know, You are not alone ...

Life can be extremely testing at times, even for me specializing in stress management strategies, teaching and coaching several others on the best ways to deal with crises and navigate difficult circumstances.

What did I, the specialist (pun intended), do next?

To be candid, I felt like giving up on everything and running far away from everything, where I do not have to deal with any of it, even if it means I just drop the ball, shut down all that I do, and call it quits!

This is a very common reaction when we are amidst stressful circumstances, it's our brain's way of protecting us from further stress.

What's the next BEST thing to do?

I learned this from deep extensive study on the workings of our brain and the limbic system deeply embedded into it.

This includes 3 key things, that prevent the body from entering into deep stress mode, thus helping us find a way out of the chaos.

1. Practice deep breathing -the link to the meditation is here
2. Get the Grip of the issue - link to the technique is here
3. Coach support - I have just signed up with my coach for the next 3 months on a specific issue I need help on.

Life is indeed stranger than fiction and more complex than even robotic sciences, and to deal with its ambiguity and uncertainty, we all need support, so if you find yourself in a situation similar to mine, reach out, connect, and seek support before it gets more complicated.

The basic meditation or techniques do help but remember, they are not a permanent solution to our life's stress stories.

Take care,

Best,

Mehnaz Amjad, Life Coach