Survival Mode & the Overflowing Cup

All too often we are stressed out, overwhelmed, and finding ourselves tired. Yet, we keep going. Drudging through our day to day activities ignoring the symptoms of ignored issues. This is survival mode.

In order to keep going, maintain the roof over our heads and food in our family’s bellies, we push down the problems. We ignore them and minimize them until we believe there is no actual problem. And because we are still functioning (which could be that we still get up and haven’t completely fallen apart) we think we are doing the right thing and we are ok. All the while, the body, mind, and spirit knows better. It’s like we are a huge cup of water about to overflow with the addition of the very last drop. After that last drop, or several, we break down in tears, have shouting matches with family or friends, give the bird to the guy in the car next to us, miss deadlines, call out, or visit the doctor’s office with an unexplained illness.

The doctor then recommends rest, exercise, healthy eating and suggests that it’s just a virus or stress! Stress, we think, but I'm fine...it must be a virus! and then we think about all that we aren’t thinking or talking about.

As a therapist, a friend, a sister, daughter, and partner I can say I have experienced it and witnessed it time and time again. As human beings we have the capacity to endure a lot! But we don't have to endure it alone and in silence.

It has been proven that sleep, exercise and healthy eating are cornerstones to self-care and wellbeing. It is also true, that talking about the problem with someone is remarkably cathartic. The mental release is like emptying your cup allowing more room for the new things to come. Talking about it, is not dwelling or at least it does not need to be. Instead, talking can release, inspire insight, heal, and motivate.

Survivor mode is an important tool we all have, but in order to live a quality life we have to use other tools as well. Talk to someone today even if you think its small, that small thing has the power to overwhelm and overflow! 

-TJ           

12/12/17