Being in the present. This is tough when you are stressed. I find myself worrying about bills next month, as I have been living month to month for the last 18 months. This is tough as I had been a teacher with a secure income. I willingly left that secure income to pursue other interests and give myself a much needed sabbatical, but it does come with other stress.
I finally have time to work on my own projects but I find my mind filled with worries. It is really hard to draw plans for a beautiful home when you are standing in the rain needing shelter. So what how do I set aside legitimate concerns? I have found a few strategies.
One of my strategies is to play the “what if” game. Okay here is my worry and now let me play it out. What if that worry did come to fruition? What if I did fall short on bills next month? Is there savings? Is there a bill I can put off? Is there someone I can borrow money from? Is there other work I can pick up when needed? This helps me create back up plans. Are these my favorite options, no but it does help me remember that I will make it through.
Another one is to literally put a start date on my worrying. I am okay for now, how long will that be true for? Now I can put down in my calendar a note to revisit that concern and see if I need to get serious and take an action or if I will be okay for a little longer. Yes literally being present. I am okay for today, I have a plan for tomorrow and then tomorrow I will make a plan for the next day.
I do acknowledge that not having kids or others dependent on me helps me in this situation. However, in my current situation I also have few people who are in a position to support me and so I do often feel on my own. This is also difficult and I try to remind myself of the few close friends and family I have that I can ask for emotional and/or financial support when needed. I also hope that they see that I am working hard to find my path and so will be willing to help if I do not ask too much of them.
There is no magic solution to the stress but being present is a practice that gets easier the more you employ it. Gratitude for the time and the adequacy of today and discipline to use that time towards a bigger goal.