From stumbling blocks to stepping stones

Have you ever wondered why feelings like anxiety, procrastination, and overwhelm feel like stumbling blocks when they were initially formed to help and strengthen us?

These natural reactions are deeply embedded in our biology, evolved over thousands of years to protect us from immediate dangers. For our ancestors, anxiety heightened alertness to threats, ensuring survival in hazardous environments. Procrastination could conserve energy when action wasn't immediately necessary, preventing unnecessary risks. However, in today's complex and fast-paced world, these same protective mechanisms often hinder rather than help. The instincts designed to safeguard us now clash with modern challenges, making us feel blocked just when we need to move forward. Understanding this paradox is the first step toward navigating these feelings more effectively.

These natural reactions are hardwired into our biology as protective mechanisms, yet in today's complex world, they often feel more like hurdles than help. While we can't simply turn off these fundamental aspects of being human, we can learn to navigate them more effectively.

Because we cannot eliminate natural reactions like anxiety and procrastination, we need to learn to navigate them constructively.

So, how can we transform these innate responses into allies rather than obstacles? If you're intrigued by the possibility of turning these challenges into stepping stones for growth, read on. Here are some strategies to help us tackle this dilemma:

1. Awareness. Begin by becoming aware of your reactions without being overwhelmed by them. Focus on simply noticing. When we notice anxiety creeping in, for example, we can take a step back and observe it rather than being consumed by it. Awareness and stillness?allows us to create a space between our reaction and ourselves & our reaction and responses.
2. Acceptance, Not Resistance. The first step is acceptance. Understand that these responses are a natural part of our biology and often out of our control. Instead of beating ourselves up for feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or demotivated, we can recognize that these feelings as normal. Acceptance doesn’t mean giving in, it means acknowledging our feelings without judgment. (Why? - Accepting the uncontrollable frees up our time to control the controllable).
3. Learn from the Response. Our natural responses can be teachers. They often signal that something needs our attention. Is procrastination telling us a task feels overwhelming? Is anxiety indicating that we're not aligned with our values? By understanding what these responses are pointing to, we can address the underlying issues rather than just the symptoms.
4. Shift Focus to Action. Once we acknowledge and understand our natural responses, we can focus on building constructive actions around them. When feeling X do Y. When a behaviour is pre planned it is possible to align it with our values and prior knowledge of what works and what does not work, instead of relying on our in the moment responses.
5. Separate Emotions from Decisions While it’s important to acknowledge our feelings, we don’t have to let them lead our decisions. Practice making choices based on your values and long-term goals rather than on immediate emotional reactions. This doesn't mean ignoring your emotions, but rather not allowing them to dictate your path. This way, you get to choose what you do and how you respond, rather than letting your emotions take control.

By learning to accept and understand these natural reactions, we reclaim our power of choice. We notice, we acknowledge, we evaluate and we choose, instead of simply reacting to any given emotion.

It’s not about eliminating these natural responses but learning to work with them.

By embracing our humanity, we can develop healthier habits and a more balanced approach to both our personal and professional lives.