I’m not sure that I’m really qualified to write this blog post considering I’ve spent half of my home renovation walking around the house screaming, but I’m going to give it my best shot! And if anyone actually knows how to stay cool when living in chaos, hit me up please.
Whether you’re living in the chaos of a major home renovation, you’re trying to care for a crazy new puppy or you’re handling a tumultuous time in your life, it is not always easy to stay cool and collected. Anxiety loves to creep in and throw you off of your game, just at the exact time when you really need to hold it together.
I’ve done my fair share of freaking the eff out and absolutely losing my cool. It often looks like a lot of crying, being super edgy and bitchy and having a complete lack of energy. To avoid all of that, I find that I need to actively work towards not letting the chaos affect me and choose to stay cool.
This kitchen renovation has truly tested my ability to stay cool, but I feel like I’ve been pretty successful with these techniques:
+ Remind yourself of the outcome – Whether you’re doing renovations or working towards a goal like a degree or saving for a car, you need to remind yourself often of what you’re working towards. Life will not always be this difficult or this messy. Come to terms with the journey and try your best to enjoy it, while keeping the end goal in mind.
+ Create a sanctuary – When living in chaos, I think it’s imperative that you have a place where you can go and distance yourself from the mess. For me, that’s my backyard. My house may be in shambles, but I have a beautiful patio space where I can work, relax and pretend that everything is chill.
+ Go for a quiet walk – Leave the headphones at home and go for a quiet walk in a peaceful neighbourhood to collect your thoughts. Take some deep breaths and stop to smell the roses, take in the sights and let your mind wander from your current problems.
+ Take a break – So incredibly necessary, but really hard to do. No matter how much of a time-crunch you’re under to complete something, put your health first and take a break when necessary. We are hustling to finish our kitchen, but refuse to do it at the expense of our health. I’ve taken a few breaks from the renos to watch TV, hang out with friends and family and hike with Odie.
+ Control what you can control – There are so many things in life that are out of our control. It’s important to remember to let that shit go and focus your energy on what you can control. For me, this has meant accepting that I can’t control the timeline of my renovation, but I can make other plans to work around it. I also practice this in my career – accepting that I can’t control the growth of my business, but I can control certain factors that will help it to grow.
+ Ask for help when you need it – I am a huge fun of asking for help – lol. With the renovations, we’ve asked friends and family for tons of help! If you’re training a new puppy, reach out to a trainer. If you’re trying to grow your career, reach out to people in your industry. Most people are willing to lend a helping hand, you just have to ask.
And last, but not least, don’t be so damn hard on yourself! This too shall pass and you will get through it. Don’t let the anxiety and stress take over what is an important time in your life. I have found that writing about my journey in this blog has helped me to cope with anxiety so freaking much, and I’m grateful that I’ll be able to look back, read about and laugh at the things that are currently stressing me out.
How do you stay cool when shit hits the fan?
I can totally relate to the stress of living through a home renovation! I would escape to a room that hadn’t been worked on yet and just read a book when I needed to relax a bit.
It’s exhausting isn’t it?! That’s a great way to keep cool – I think I may have to try that today!