The Last Few Months... STRESS!!!!

What a challenge these last few months have been. I've been stressed out of my skull! (Yes, even counsellors get stressed out!!)

I've had my father move in, started a Micro Business Management course, registered my business name (now Sanctuary Counselling is formally known as Sanctuary Counselling and Consultancy), registered a domain name, set up a client booking thing, filled in an application to go to Uni, re-written my business plan for the umpteenth time, helped (in an ongoing manner) an organisation get itself started, being a PA for another lady, and decided that weight loss is a good idea!

When it's all written down like that it doesn't sound like much, but my father has been one stress after another!

Getting my business name was a stressful day - I originally just wanted Sanctuary Counseling, but that was taken. The consultancy part is something I wanted to add in a few years time! But, it seems that plans change! I still cant believe that it took half a day to get it sorted out!

My domain name was a near crisis too, that is if it wasn't for Ferdi at HostPapa! I'm not even looking at building my website just yet! I'm still yet to work out how to get and email address sorted!

My client booking thing has taken several days and several headaches to get my head around!

In all of this I began to wonder what I was doing! Where did my self care go and why was I so stressed? At my course, we talked about stress and I had the opportunity to speak about the physiological issues it causes, elevated heart rate and blood pressure, stress hormones that are just down right nasty, among other things, we talked about recognising the signs and symptoms of stress, managing stress and different techniques that one can use to manage and reduce stress... Yet, here I was in the midst of all that I was doing feeling and ignoring the very things I myself had spoken about!

Ok, it's time for a change...

So, myself and two other board members of GINC Inc. have made a contract. An Exercise and Lifestyle Wellbeing Contract! It's a doozy! But we decided to do it because some of us what to loose weight, save money, reduce smoking, and a few other things!

When we prove to ourselves that it is doable (which I believe it is), then it will be on offer when Sanctuary Counselling and Consultancy and GINC Inc. begin our Women's Empowerment Group in January!

I'm looking at what we have to do to get that organised, and my first thought was "more stress"!!

However, I have a plan to tackle my stress! I've been spending the last few days rewriting it!

And that's the point. When life gets too much, one has to take a step back and have a good look at why you're stressed.

Did I take on too much? No, I just wasn't fully prepared for it! And it's not too late to re-evaluate our lives! Taking one day at a time helps too!

When I asked myself why I was stressed out of my skull, (elevated heart rate, higher than usual blood pressure, sleepless nights, added anxiety, irritability...) I discovered that it was due to neglecting my self-care plan! (That was "smart"!)

I am pleased to report that I'm getting back on track, and I've been to see my doctor, who is also supporting the changes I've made, after readjusting my self-care plan!

It can be done. Stress can be reduced.

If you need help reducing your stress levels, please click here to make a booking to see me! :)