Do you ever slip out of your routine, and rather slip into bad habits? Maybe, sleeping past noon? Scrolling too often? Let's work on pinpointing those signs that we may be headed down a slippery slope.
Hey, me again. Do you ever catch yourself… spiraling? Spiraling into bad habits, and bad choices. It’s something I used to do often. The term spiraling in theory refers to a repeated behavior cycle that usually has adverse outcomes. Over the past year, as I’ve allowed myself space to evaluate some of my own behaviors and trends, I have been able to identify various tell-tale signs of a potential “spiraling episode.” To prevent further episodes, I’ve laid out some ground rules to avoid what I like to call, spiral mountain. Here they are:
The first thing I can pinpoint in this cycle is how regularly I take my medicine. I can’t miss a day, and if I do, I feel myself headed down the slippery, snowy avalanche of spiral mountain. So, rule number one to avoid said mountain: Take your medicine at the same time every day (in my case, with morning coffee).
The next thing I notice when I’m headed down this slope is the way I take care of myself, and my surroundings. I haven’t always been a “clean queen,” but when I regularly take my psychiatrist-prescribed ADHD medications, I am. My room is my safe space; keeping it tidy is beyond essential for so many reasons. Also, I feel more productive when I know I have a clean room, and vice versa. For instance, starting off my morning by making my bed really just gets me in the “let’s get shit done” mindset. Of course, I’m not perfect; I will turn a blind eye to a clean basket of laundry I know I have to fold, but when I get it done, I feel ten times better. Rule number two: Make your bed, put away your damn clothes, and maintain your environment.
The next sign that I’m starting to spiral is my progress in school. In fact, this may be the biggest contributor to spiral mountain. My performance in school truly reflects where I’m at mentally. If I’m doing poorly, or have fallen behind, I’m a total anxiety-ridden mess. When I know I’m up to speed, and doing well, I’m ready to take on the world. I’ll be honest, I’m a little behind right now because I’m choosing avoidance over persistence. Rather than opening my laptop and spending an hour on schoolwork, I’m practicing guitar, or binge-watching reality TV. However, just because I’ve hit a roadblock doesn’t mean I can give up. Rule number three: Stay on top of your school work, and if you’re behind, take baby steps every day to catch up.
The final major sign is reflected in the people I allow into my life. In the last year, I have taken steps to make sure that the people in my life are people that I should be surrounding myself with. Those people need to bring out the good in me, not the bad. I think we all might have that person, or people that brings out a version of ourselves we don’t like, or aren’t proud of. Well, I found myself on the phone with mine last night, and that was what made me realize that I’m fully snowballing out of control. Rule number four: Choose your circle carefully, and recognize the people that bring out the best in you.
Now, I’m not saying that these four rules are universal. These are just the things that I need to take into consideration when I find myself falling down that so-called slippery slope. However, think about the tendencies that you pick up when you’re starting to spiral. Do you skip the gym, or sleep in too late? Acknowledging these tendencies, and behaviors is the first step in preventing future spiraling episodes.
Written June 26, 2023
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