In this issue
February Newsletter, by Stephanie Veiga, CMP
Valentine’s Day Celebrations Around the World
Sponsor Spotlight
Word of the Month: LOVE
Tips on how to deal with FEAR, Schnap out of it! (said like Cher)
Pics You’ll LOVE!
February Newsletter, by Stephanie Veiga, CMP
Valentine’s Day Celebrations Around the World
Sponsor Spotlight
Word of the Month: LOVE
Tips on how to deal with FEAR, Schnap out of it! (said like Cher)
Pics You’ll LOVE!
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February Newsletter is already here! Can you believe it? It feels like we JUST had a newsletter! Well, just like chocolate, more is never enough! Also, now that the framework for an entire 2022 year is outlined, it’s hard not to be excited about writing the next edition. As always, we welcome your content ANYTIME, day or night, send it on over to [email protected] Go ahead, click those buttons, and send us your good stuff, recipes, pics of your pets, your before and after photos, art projects, a declaration of love for your latest on-line purchase, we’ll take it! |
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Valentine’s Day Celebrations Around the World
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Hello to Our Dear Sponsors!
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Word of the Month: LOVE
The original intent for this section was to write some cutesy things about LOVE, such as “OMG…I L.O.V.E. those shoes!” Or possibly mention something about how after I Marie Kondo’d (yes, that is a verb) the crap out of my house, all that's left are things that I love. BUT then all of a sudden, I was inspired by the dark side of my humor. So, this is what you get instead! We’re going to play “Don’t-cha just LOVE…”
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Don’t-cha just LOVE… When you lose 5 lbs. only to have it find you again and this time it has brought its friends? When you’ve cleaned your house and the inhabitants of your home leave crap laying around in 0.237 seconds? Dirty sons a… When you enter a room determined to do the thing, only to forget the thing, and then come back into the office, then remember the thing, try to go back and do the thing, but then do something else instead of doing the thing? Trying to go onto Facebook for only a few minutes, only to be sucked into the black hole of “What the heck did that B!t(H post now?…” |
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Don’t-cha just LOVE… The candle in your most loved aroma that burns unevenly and ½ the wax is still up one side and most of the wax is burned on the other side. A notebook page that is delicately torn out of the notebook, only to have a weird chunk of the paper defiantly refuse to separate from the perforation, and now you have a stupid piece of paper with a chunk missing in the margin. While we’re on that type of topic… a hardboiled egg that causes your fingers to bleed as you try to pry the shell off the egg white, only to end up with a yolk and a single chunk of egg white while the rest of the egg is in the sink still covered in shell. When you have just two pieces of pizza left over from last night’s dinner and you decide to heat them on the stovetop, only to then REMEMBER THE THING! Go do the thing and come back to black burnt pizza. (That one made me sad just typing it) |
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Tips for Dealing with Fear
Schnap out of it! (sounding like Cher, who 110% does NOT endorse this article even the slightest bit)
False Evidence Appearing Real
F#cK Everything And Run
However you want to break it down, FEAR is very real in everyday life. Sure, we’ve all heard about the fight or flight response, that old example of the caveman being chased by a hungry tiger causing an adrenaline rush (and the peeing of the pants). BUT, when we experience that same fight or flight response as we walk down the grocery aisle because we saw an old boyfriend near the salty snacks, then that is not the type of response our body wants to endure day in and day out. Also, there could be a clean up in aisle 8! (I’m referencing the ‘peeing of the pants’ here).
If we look back on our lives, there were many, many, many, many times that we were exposed to fear and made it through the other side. Sure, some of our fears are for real self-preservation, that’s when we trust our gut. Like being alert when walking back to our car through a dark parking lot. But some of our fears are not necessarily going to happen, like the spider living in the corner of your living room is not going to jump 5 feet in the air, attach to your face like the predator in the movie Alien and suck every ounce of your precious blood from your body. (Unless you live in Australia, then maybe…just maybe that could happen)
F#cK Everything And Run
However you want to break it down, FEAR is very real in everyday life. Sure, we’ve all heard about the fight or flight response, that old example of the caveman being chased by a hungry tiger causing an adrenaline rush (and the peeing of the pants). BUT, when we experience that same fight or flight response as we walk down the grocery aisle because we saw an old boyfriend near the salty snacks, then that is not the type of response our body wants to endure day in and day out. Also, there could be a clean up in aisle 8! (I’m referencing the ‘peeing of the pants’ here).
If we look back on our lives, there were many, many, many, many times that we were exposed to fear and made it through the other side. Sure, some of our fears are for real self-preservation, that’s when we trust our gut. Like being alert when walking back to our car through a dark parking lot. But some of our fears are not necessarily going to happen, like the spider living in the corner of your living room is not going to jump 5 feet in the air, attach to your face like the predator in the movie Alien and suck every ounce of your precious blood from your body. (Unless you live in Australia, then maybe…just maybe that could happen)
By George! There's George!
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Down spider, off my face!
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Then, what can we do to understand and better deal with fear? Well, I’m glad you asked, because here are 5 tips:
What are your tips for dealing with fear? Go tell us on the SPIN Members Only Facebook page (but don't get pulled into "What'd that B*t@H post now", we need you to come back here and read the rest of the SPIN Newsletter)
- Breathe – Just breathe. When you are feeling anxious or nervous or angry (which are all forms of fear), then just breath. There is technique called Box breathing. Box breathing is a powerful, yet simple, relaxation technique that aims to return breathing to its normal rhythm. This breathing exercise may help to clear the mind, relax the body, and improve focus. It is simply done by breathing in through your nose for 4 seconds, holding for 4 seconds, breathing out through your mouth for 4 seconds, holding for 4 seconds, and repeating up to 4 times. Go ahead, try it! Right now, this very moment. We'll wait...
- Understand that nothing lasts forever, not the bad, nor the good. Think back to a historical time that you were very anxious about an activity. Realize that it was a historical time, that it passed, that you managed through it, and came out the other side. When we’re feeling anxious or afraid, it’s hard to realize that “this too shall pass”, but it is true, and it will.
- Imagine the worst thing that could happen – then plan from there. Yes, I know this sounds counterintuitive, but it works. As planners, we are designed to predict risks and issues in order to plan alternatives should those unfortunate things happen. We can do this in our lives too. Let’s say I’m afraid of losing my house due to money woes. What’s the worst thing that could happen? Well, I could end up homeless on the street, with my dog, and not be able to feed her. Now, I plan from there. What is the likelihood that I’ll end up homeless on the street with a hungry dog? Very unlikely. Why? Well, even if I lost my house, I could move back in with my parents (yeah, I know, a whole other set of fears, but stay with me), or I could move in with a friend. Then I would work really hard using my skills to make and save money, and eventually get my own apartment, or a roommate. Crisis averted. I feel better already. Working things out from the worst possible scenario helps ease anxiety.
- Talk about it. Often when we feel fearful, we don’t want to share this with others because we think that people might think less of us. This couldn’t be further from the truth! In today's society, we are encouraged to share our vulnerability with others; to show we’re human, and all humans have feelings we can’t control. Sure, we can manage our body’s reactions to the fears, but overall, we cannot control feelings themselves, they will emerge regardless. So, find a trusted friend, a confidant, a co-worker or a clergy, and talk it out. They say a problem shared is a problem cut in half.
- Realize that EVERYONE is fearful. Period! There are very few rare folks in this world who have absolutely no fear for one reason or another, but this is a very small minority of all the people. Understanding this will help you manage through your fears. Afraid of public speaking? Ask a speaker how they got though it. Afraid of getting a divorce? Find that happy divorcée and go have coffee to chat about the process. Whenever you think “Geez, I don’t really want to…” think about the basis of that next statement. Are you possibly fueling a self-fulfilling prophecy? Then rephrase the your statement in your head from “I don't want to speak; I’m the worst at public speaking” to “I’ve dabbled a bit in public speaking and came out somewhat unscathed. It may not have gone perfectly, but I think I’ll give it another try.”
What are your tips for dealing with fear? Go tell us on the SPIN Members Only Facebook page (but don't get pulled into "What'd that B*t@H post now", we need you to come back here and read the rest of the SPIN Newsletter)
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