Interrupting the Pattern Before It Spirals

I was speed walking through my workday last week, moving fast between tasks because the to-do list was long. Midway through the walk outside, one of my own posts popped into my head. The one about life not being an emergency. I intentionally slowed down, dropped my shoulders, and took a deep breath as I focused on the fresh air and my surroundings. Grounding myself in what I could see, hear, and feel, I reminded myself that this is not an emergency. It's not worth what the stress is doing to my body.

A few days prior, something similar had happened with a different thought pattern. The familiar overwhelm began creeping in, wondering how I was going to get it all done and worrying whether I might disappoint people. I took a deep breath and paused before the thought could take over, internally calming my thoughts and reframing them to one step at a time and my health is my priority. Over time, I have come to learn that I need to hold my boundaries even when it stretches me outside of my comfort zone.

I realized that these were old patterns running on autopilot. I had caught them and interrupted them before they took over. This is what interrupting a negative thought pattern looks like for me day to day. A notice, pause, breath, and reframe before it spirals. The patterns of rushing, pushing, or assuming the worst don't disappear overnight. When they get interrupted enough times, a new response will start to feel just as automatic.

If this is a pattern you recognize in yourself, Life Is Not an Emergency might be worth a read.