Hey Reader,

With the work you do, you’re no stranger to stress. And you probably know firsthand how our stress levels spike as we close out the year. There’s the end of the fiscal year and the start of a new one, increased workloads, the holiday season, and so much more.

In fact, the change in seasons, specifically from summer to fall, can evoke worry, fear, and other challenging emotions. Some mental health professionals call this autumn anxiety. But it doesn't have to be this way.

Dealing with anxiety and being overwhelmed about the end of the year starts by identifying your personal triggers and then making a plan to control the things within your control.

In practical terms, this is a three-part process of:

1. Acknowledging what you are thinking and how you are feeling. Whatever you are thinking and feeling is valid, so don’t try to fight it.
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2. Confronting your challenging thoughts and feelings. Meet them head-on instead of resisting or avoiding them. The key is understanding that while your emotions and thoughts are very real, they don’t always tell you the truth. The reality is you don’t have to anticipate being crushed by the weight of all the things on your plate. Instead, you can focus on the present moment and the things you can control right now.
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3. Executing the next best action step. You can choose to take action despite your challenging thoughts and feelings. You can decide what you can do now versus later or not all. Then channel your time and energy into those priorities.

As you move through this process, it’s also important to carve out intentional time for rest, recovery, and taking care of your mental health and overall well-being.

During the next Virtual Wellness Retreat for Changemakers (September 29-30), we’ll focus on putting these steps into action. We’ll go step-by-step through the process of:

1. Identifying and confronting your top fear or anxiety trigger about closing out the year.
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2. Identifying your top personal and professional priorities for the last 90 days of the year and a plan for following through on them.
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3. Carving out intentional space for rest, recovery, and self-care during stressful times.

The retreat is a 2-day experience designed to help you pause, reflect, and move through the process of improving your well-being so you can sustainably increase your well-doing for the long haul.

We’ll use the C.H.A.N.G.E. framework for well-being while well-doing from my forthcoming book How to Thrive When Work Doesn’t Love You Back: A Practical Guide for Taking Care of Yourself While Changing the World to guide our experience.

This program may be eligible for reimbursement through your organization’s professional development program or HR department. Reach out to your HR contact or manager for additional details. Download this one-pager for additional information.

Learn more and register at mindfultechie.com/retreat.

Hope to see you there!

Meico

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