By Sierra Kovash
I get overwhelmed a lot. I put too much on my plate and then a lot of times it blows up in my face. I’m a chronic overdoer, overworker, and overthinker. That, paired with Bipolar disorder, make for a natural disaster of depression and anxiety.
I used to panic, cry, bury my head in the couch and pretend like what ever was happening wasn’t happening, and I would deal with the repercussions later. Whether it was a bad grade, missed work, letting someone down, etc., I knew that if I just hid in the couch, it would all blow over soon. I could deal with that anxiety (alone in my house) easier than what ever was outside.
Let me start with saying this is NOT the way to deal with your problems. I know; I’ve been there, done that, got the hat. I would, however, like to share with you something that I have learned that has helped me through everything from my father’s death to getting through college.
Everything is temporary. This day. This week. This month. This year. Our lives. Everything we touch, see, do, eat, is temporary. Buildings crumble, memories fade, moments pass. Nothing about our lives are forever.
(Except tattoos…that dolphin will look like a sperm whale, remember that… do it anyway.)
We all face hardships that we must persevere through, and the best way I can tell you to get through it is to break it down into pieces. If a week is too long to stand it, tell yourself you can get through this day. If a day is too long, you can get through this hour, if an hour is too long you can make it five minutes and when those five minutes are up try for another. Soon those five minute increments will get easier and you can work up to ten, fifteen, thirty.
Sometimes with hardships it’s hard to imagine the rest of your life in a certain situation, but five minutes really isn’t that bad. Anyone can make it five minutes.
There is a flipside to this method. Don’t count your whole life away. Cherish the good moments. Remember that life is temporary and that we only get a certain amount of minutes. Soak up the sun, have dinner with a friend, or spend time doing your favorite activity. We are blessed to have the opportunities we have in this life. Don’t squander them.
“This life is temporary, this body is temporary, but while I’m here I want to get as much out of it as I can.” ~ Rich Froning Jr.