2024 is here and so is the season of New Year’s resolutions. These goals are often associated with lofty personal expectations that fizzle out over the course of a few weeks. Some resolutions only last a few days or hours! They frequently become jokes are even expected to fail from the start. However, I’d like you to know that it’s possible to create a sustainable change in your life this year. Year long goals are not simple tasks, and there’s much to consider when making them. It starts with a question to ask yourself.

Nothing detaches us like regret and fear. Our imagination can pull us into the pain of the past or it can pull us into preparing for a dangerous future. On the other hand, mindfulness is the state of existing where your feet are. That’s where your life is happening. Imagine a beautiful party lit by fairy lights and echoing with laughter. If all you’re thinking about is your previous argument with your spouse or parent, then you’re not fully engaged with the stimuli around you. You’re not taking in the moment. To bring you to where your feet are, we need to start with what’s literally around you.

Do you have social anxiety? If you commonly find yourself asking this question, you’ve come to the right place. Since you’re here, you probably have an idea that you do have social anxiety, but you want to be sure. I want to help you determine that, so let me give you an example. I want you to see how much you relate to the story of Alex. Alex is not a real person, but his story represents an accumulation of experiences of social anxiety. I’ll go ahead and tell you about Alex, just keep note of what sounds familiar and we’ll talk about it after. Let’s meet social anxiety Alex. 

Many of the clients I see with anxiety tell me that they are not resting well. They have trouble falling asleep, trouble staying asleep, and sometimes wake up sooner than they intended. Because they are already wired to be worriers, they often have a lot of concerns about it. Most find that the more they pay attention to their sleep problems, the worse they become. Here are some tried and true tips to interrupt the anxious cycle.

What do you think of when you picture self-care? Serenely meditating on the beach, sipping tea in a scenic café, preparing all organic meals? Do you have time for that? Yeah, I don’t either. It’s always hard to prioritize self-care. It’s true that the kids are hungry, the dog just vomited on the rug, and your boss keeps texting you. But self-care only works if we do it when our lives are messy. It doesn’t help if we only do it when our houses are clean and our lives are calm. So, let’s talk about some ways to prioritize your physical and mental health in fifteen minutes or less.