I remember how I was coping with my anxiety when it was at its highest levels... and my "self-care" routine was obviously not the best thought through
- breaks at work = a coffee + a cigarette
- relaxation outside of work = dinner with friends with more smoking and several glasses of wine, relaxing on my sofa, inactive, watching movies, including late-night tv watching
My strategy to cope was avoidance and denial.
Each cigarette puff and each sip of coffee was a moment away from the anxious thoughts.... I knew it was not healthy, but I did not know at this time that it was actually increasing my anxiety as both tobacco and caffeine contribute to the physiological arousal associated with anxiety. Same for the the alcohol. What looks like it is relaxing you is actually contributing to long-term symptoms of anxiety, particularly during withdrawal from these substances.
I could add in what was contributing to my anxiety: bad quality of sleep, no exercising, no attention to what I was eating, very little interaction with nature, and so on...
A healthy lifestyle is key in the ability to manage stress and anxiety.
Self-care is now top of my mind in all areas of my life and my life looks very different from what it was years ago,
And it makes a HUGE difference in my energy and my ability to manage stress and anxiety and to experience peace and joy!
Self-care is also one of the pillars of my coaching program to support my clients in going from anxiety to peace of mind.
Together, we assess all areas of their life from the perspective of self-care and design a path towards a lifestyle where they take care of themself so they can give the best of themself.
As part of the launch of this coaching program, "from anxiety to peace", I am offering a 60-minute self-care assessment coaching session. We will identify together "quick wins" action steps and lay out a path towards a self-care practice that really supports you in your journey to let go of anxiety and embrace peace and joy.
Please use the link below to book your free session:
Please feel free to share this link with people in your entourage who are struggling with high stress and anxiety at work.
I can also be contacted directly at gaelle@gaellechaponcoaching.com
