How to Get Out of Freakout

Do you ever freak out? Stress over things other people think are no big deal? Get yourself trapped into a hole of inaction and gut-wrenching fear that keeps you from doin' your thaaaang?

(I can't say that without immediately thinking of Kevin G. #meangirls)

One of the biggest lessons I learned while in my recent trip to Japan, believe it or not, was how to get myself out of constant freak-out mode. Freakout is completely useless! Not to mention, a total bore and buzzkill. It's a normal part of human life, but it doesn't have to be part of our daily routine. We can give it the boot using a few simple steps!

Here's how:
1. Remember where you came from.

Part of my Japan trip included visiting the small beach town where my grandmother grew up during WWII. This was my first-ever time actively exploring my family history while there, and getting to hear all of her stories really opened my eyes to the humble beginnings of my ancestors. 

There's a lot we can learn about ourselves when we dig into the past of our families. I was able to recognize and re-connect with my top priorities in life, and re-position them at the head of my everyday, leading to more simplicity and focus. Less time in questioning my purpose, more time in productivity and happiness mode.

Feeling off-track and off-course can completely put us in freakout because we're living out of integrity with our values. So if you're feeling like your life is out of control or you're freaking out more than you'd like, get back to the basics of where you came from and how you can re-position your top priorities in your regular routine. 

2. Create a structure and container for your life.

If you're anything like me, you probs just cringed at that suggestion. But I have come to the anchored realization that structure and containers provide the foundation for our creative work and going after our dreams.

We hear so much now about how we need to follow our hearts, just go for our passions, and live our dreams. While this is all well and good, most of us don't talk about what it actually takes to do that. Many people can get caught up in the high of talking about the dream that they completely dismiss structure, claiming that it only serves to restrict them and their creativity. But if it weren't for structure, nothing could ever get done!

We're each a product of what we do every day, not just what we do once in a while. So if you want to stop the freakout mode, get into structure. Wake up at a certain time each day. Get to a yoga class twice a week. Read and meditate for 15 minutes each morning...anything that will give you a daily boost, whether or not you think you need it. Because a no-nonsense, structured routine can be a perfect frame in which to explore creatively without having your life fall apart all over the place! Choose one thing you can implement this week, and let me know how it goes in the comments below!

3. Acknowledge your emotions without letting them take control. 

A hugely important part of freakout mode is the emotion. And just like a toddler throwing a tantrum, our emotions during freakout deserve attention and respect. We can do this without letting them take control.

One thing I've found that helps has been to identify the emotion when it comes up ("overwhelm" "fear" "anxiety"), and identify where it is in my body. This doesn't require you to sit down and meditate, it doesn't require you to do extensive journaling. All you have to do is identify and recognize.

By simply identifying the emotion and how it feels in your body ("tight neck" "aching back" etc.), you're engaging in the practice of mindfully acknowledging your experience WITHOUT trying to change it. One of the biggest blocks we can create for ourselves is trying to change emotion without even recognizing what or where it is! (More to come on this later.) The other day I woke up feeling super freakout. I acknowledged "anxiety" and "fear" playing out as a tight throat and constricted chest. Then I went about my day per usual, had a couple of tear-up moments, and by noon most of the freakout had dissipated. Just because you're determined to move forward despite emotion doesn't mean you have to ignore emotion. Acknowledge it, get the support you need, and move forward.

One of the biggest times in my life when I was in consistent freakout mode was when I was completely disconnected from my purpose in life. I had almost-constant anxiety, couldn't sleep, and felt like I was running on a hamster wheel. The worst part? I didn't know how to get out.

What changed? My consciousness. I got into my life coaching program that didn't just tell me how to live, but actually took me through the step-by-step process of creating a life that was on purpose and provided a foundation for me to get to where I am today, and will continue to sustain me as I move onward and upward!

If the idea of getting out of freakout and into actual forward-moving progress excites you, I invite you to take one of these steps, implement, and let me know how it goes in the comments below!

Here's to no more freakout mode!