Coping with Stress in Your Car

I'm here to tell you I was one of those people. One of the people that sat in the parking lot dreading going into work. Wondering if it will be another day of demands, obligations and overwhelm. There were three emotions usually running: hopeless, helpless or anger. While at first in my burnout recovery trying to address this 'bad habit' of stewing in negative mindset I thought to get rid of it. Yet I would see others sitting in their car in shopping stores wondering if we are fighting the wrong part of the process. 

Since we are habitual creatures and the brain likes to run on autopilot, why change the location of trying to cope with stress on top of the action, routine and everything else. You're almost doomed to fail because all the variables are changing at once. So I trialed out a few stress relief techniques in my car and listed out the findings below. See which coping strategies could work for you and shoot me a message to let me know how it went after trying it out!

1. The negative thoughts we tell ourselves will cycle over and over in our head unless we interrupt the feed. Have you ever walked through the doors already convinced the day has went horribly wrong even though nothing has happened yet? Yea, that's your mindset searching for proof of the crap that is going to come your way, even if it doesn't. You can interrupt this narrative through music, writing or meditation in your car. Find a podcast that inspires, uplifts or makes you laugh. Watch a quick funny video on YouTube guaranteed to make you laugh. Subscribe to make it an easy grab on those rough days. Stay off social media as it could easily feed the negative mindset with just one persons post. 

2. Identify what is in your control to move  you out of a survivor mode mindset. Remove helplessness feelings by identifying actual actions you are doing that prove you are safe. What boundaries can you establish or start to feel less overwhelmed or attacked. Who can you have a productive conversation with today to prevent problems tomorrow. Start small and build up. 

3. Setup your morning. This is a game changer and you will probably see again on this blog. Sometimes we even hit our limits early because of poor morning habits. If you set the bar low from the start, that's where it will be all day. Distractions, response emails, social media, TV screens, no movement, little prep and now last minute rushing are all things that can add up to make a good morning turn bad. 100% in your control too!

4. Proof of progress. As you sit in your car stirring in rage or sadness, reflect on the last time you've changed an action. Sometimes we've come a far way and didn't even realize. Other times recognize you haven't been taking action at all and still in the same spot as before. Celebrate the little wins, prove to the brain change toward healthier habits. Watch momentum start to drive!

5. Believe in the challenges presented before you and what it may be teaching. It may even be guiding in a different direction. My burnout was a severe physical collapse. It presented a world of issues yet was the pivotable moment in which I constructed a stronger foundation. What is the purpose in the hard events happening in your life right now? Believe that you are safe and the brain will shift these challenges from a threat to a teaching moment. 

Want to know more? Check out the four behavior categories and move from zombie mode to liveliness: Resiliency Roadmap