I Have Battled Anxiety and Depressive Tendencies My Entire Life.
Many days I wake up and immediately wish I hadn’t…for a minute.
I do not naturally see the world, as a general rule, from a positive perspective as hard as that may be to believe. I have to work at it. Really Hard. Every. Single. Day.
The benefit of this, is that I have learned deeply how much serving and doing good for others, helps a human being feel better. I also have deep empathy for those who also struggle in this area. And, I have learned just how powerful a morning routine can be to adjust your mind and feelings.
For many people, anxiety is not an everyday issue, but can be overwhelming during times of disruption, crisis, or sudden change. Anything in general that pokes a hole in someone’s comfort zone is going to, by nature, make them feel some measure of anxiety.
It’s sort of like the opposite of comfortable. Maybe you would say the opposite is uncomfortable…I would submit that is more of a creature comfort thing.
This is an emotional thing. Much like it would be easy to say the opposite of love is hate. But many say, on a deeper level, that indifference is the opposite of love.
This Has Now Been a Part of My Life for 30 Years…
I don’t just talk about the 3 Circles. I don’t just use the 3 Circles as a guideline. I use the 3 Circles as an unyielding principle that governs the way I walk through each day.
Self-care is the first circle. So…it MUST come first. The way I ensure this, and it encompasses EVERY facet of self- care, is through my morning routine.
During our turmoil of the past few years, I have not made a single structural adjustment to my routine. It continues to serve as my foundation, allowing me to show up centered and strong for others, regardless of how I wake up.
If you have not established a POSITIVE morning routine, here is mine. It will help you should you want to incorporate it, or some facets of it:
- First Thing I do for (after taking out and feeding my dogs) is a period of quiet time where I pray, read my bible, and journal.
- Then I put a powerful cocktail of nutrients in my body for health and to prepare for exercise.
- Then I do resistance work for strengthening and maintaining muscle (every human being needs this…as you age especially). This is a 30-minute work-out generally.
- Next I do 30 minutes of aerobic exercise. Ideally on an exercise bike, but if that is not possible then I go for a walk, and in the spring-fall I also may kayak or paddle board, or row to my favorite fishing spot.
- Then I do 30 minutes of personal/professional development reading while recording learning/thoughts in my journal. If I have access to an exercise bike, I do this while I am on the bike to leverage time. If not, then I allocate the extra thirty minutes.
- Once I have finished this, I replenish my body with nutrients, and finish planning my day, and finish my afformations (different from affirmations) to complete the mindset adjustment.
- Then I jump into the day and begin with a completely centered and positively energized focus.
Right now is a great time to begin incorporating the things you want your future self to be living through. The 3 Circles Living platform will position you perfectly for this.
I hope you found this helpful. Feel free to share with fellow employees or managers/business owners.
Here is a link to a free video download on the Ultimate Morning Routine
Many Blessings, Todd
P.S. “3 Circles Living” will not only help you condition yourself properly, but it will also give you an exact formula for achieving your richest life possible. It won’t happen overnight, but it will happen!