Anchor Points

When you’re feeling all at sea, or tossed about by life’s occasional stormy weather, do you maintain some safe anchor points? When everything seems to be changing around you and you’re feeling a bit out of control, is there a rock of stability you can hang on to until you get your bearings again?

We all need some stress and tension to give our lives zing and motivation, but too much at once can be a real problem. If your marriage is shaky, your son has just dropped out of school, and someone has just run into your car at the supermarket, you certainly don’t need any more changes for a while.

Keep at least some things stationary by returning to and maintaining customary activities or familiar habits. Touch base with old friends who know you well and with whom you feel completely comfortable. Find an island of calm and create some respite for yourself, so that you can return to the mainland of temporary chaos feeling rested, restored, and clearer about who you are and what you really want.

Whether it is a small summer cottage, a special fishing cove, a campground by a river or a trip to a day spa, take some time to indulge yourself during times of rapid change. It is a “guided” way to release tension, with you purposefully moving the tension out of your way – if only for a little while. It’s the break that is necessary.

It doesn’t hurt to return to your personal anchor of peace and quiet for a while, every so often. It’s a practical tactic and a good strategy for coping with change that threatens to overwhelm.