End of Year? Dealing with Internal Pressures

E choke!

Knock! Knock!

I guess it's been ages. Long time, no growth? Is that it?

Nah. Though the past few months have been a? turning point for me,

Facing a life-changing experience that was beyond my control, all I could do was just let go.

It's not bad news but it's something personal that I would like to share at a later time.

?But hey! How have you been?

?Coincidentally, the year is winding and this seems planned or spurred by the end-of-year fever.

But no. I just woke up to the reality that I have a little control over things now and I could steal this time to share a few thoughts with my growth tribe.

I want to share a lesson on dealing with internal pressures.

A story comes.

?So I fell ill about 4 months ago. It was such a pain that I couldn't do my daily activities comfortably. Furthermore, I didn't want to take a leave at that time. Also, I had to start working on quarterly reports for a? brand I managed as a content marketer.

So, I felt I could pull through. As James Bond nah ??

As if that wasn't enough, I spent 3 months of that period pondering on the opportunities, and offers I may miss and how to deliver excellently on the ones I? had already.

Every time I made a mistake, I? blamed myself, doubted myself, and wondered if my bosses would still see me as relevant or professional.

Do they know what I'm going through? No!

What's wrong with this lady, abi?

But what that experience taught me was that this wasn't the first time. I've had to handle internal pressures even in normal circumstances—thoughts like, What am I missing? Am I doing enough? Am I knowledgeable enough?

And why am I still struggling to get this right?

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Internal pressures can be good or bad. There are pressures we put on ourselves that no one sees. Sometimes, they push us to be better. Pressure makes diamonds, they say.

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But other times, they can be irrational, especially when they are based on the foundation of pleasing people, perfectionism, a lack of confidence or low self-esteem.

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They're subtle. But we can always evaluate ourselves to know where we're applying the pressure wrongly.

?Career?

As the year winds, do you feel pressured to show what you've achieved in the last year? What if they're not tangible? Does it still bother you? Doesn't it matter that you might have gained fresh perspectives that when rightly applied, will help you in the coming years?

Does your achievement have to always be about the raise, the numbers, the sales, the courses, and the offers you get?

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Where were you before and what changed you should be the question.? And this time, a holistic approach is needed.

Relationships?

Relationships are a stronghold of internal pressures, especially when they involve people. But in reviewing how far you've gone in building relationships, I've learned that it's wise to not only think in quantity but in quality. How did I impact the lives of those around me? What changes have people made in my life?

There could be the pressure of thinking only in terms of having a partner, but remember, having great people around you is also a component of wholeness and good living.

Finance?

?Yes. Money.

?How much am I making? Was there any increase from last year? Any added source of income? Did I stick to my savings and investment goals? These are great questions to ask.

But what if the answer to all these is no? Can we look at—what have I learned about money? Are there new skills or opportunities that I have acquired that I could leverage?

The goal of reviewing beyond the lines of pressure and goals we've hitherto set is to also see areas of growth we never saw coming. not to be complaining but to encourage us to do more and look beyond popular metrics.

?Lifestyle?

If you're like me, It may seem that your lifestyle, status, or finances are not at par.

While I prefer a simple life, I also get that pressure that " you may be missing out on the goodies of life." ??

?Lifestyle is beyond acquisition—food, bags, shoes, or how many countries you've visited. No thanks to our "lifestyle vloggers and influencers" for the stereotype.

Do you feel bad that your lifestyle didn't upgrade as planned? And the economy didn't help?

What about how you took care of yourself this year?

For me, I discovered a lot about embracing organic and natural foods and couldn't believe I went through half of the year with little or no junk, processed foods, or artificial spices in my diet.

That's a win for me!

But it took a reorientation of what my lifestyle was for me to know that I've enjoyed a healthier gut, skin, and system because of this simple change. ( Not simple, though.))

What internal pressure are you battling with? Clarity, achievements, execution, results—name them. No matter what aspect of your life it is, take time to appreciate the beauty of pushing yourself to do more and analyse the basis of the pressure as well.

Finally, look within; you've most likely done yourself more good in one area or another this year than you ever thought.

It's all in your head. Let it not Choke! Let it out!