Anxiety Showing Up Like Our Long-Lost Friend

Kids are back in school. Summer vacations are wrapping up. Business meetings pick up again. Football tickets have arrived in the mail. Social gatherings fill the calendar. Routines are settling back in. As routines settle in, so does the hustle and bustle. Which brings with it lots of feelings of anxiety. Summer felt laid back. And as the calendar fills up, anxiety begins to rise. This time of year brings back memories of the first week of the semester every year in school. I would get all of my syllabi, lay them out on my desk, and then begin to see countless assignments swirl on the page in front of my eyes as the tears began to form. The feeling of overwhelm and anxiety was indescribable. How would I ever get it all done? Looking at the big picture in front of me would spike my anxiety – my heart would beat quickly, my thoughts would race, and I felt the worry begin to set in. Regardless of the key fact that every year I got it all done. And yet, each year the anxiety would greet me like a long-lost friend coming in for a bear hug. Perhaps that’s how you still feel as summer wraps up and we begin our fall schedules. The anxiety can feel debilitating and exhausting. And the workplace doesn’t add to it. Project dates seem to speed up, performance reviews feel looming, and quarterly numbers are staring you in the face. Then you have organizations begin to make structural changes and anxiety can skyrocket. If you’re struggling with anxiety this fall, there are two opportunities to seek tools and support. Individual sessions are always available to learn coping strategies that are unique and helpful to you and your life. In addition, I’m offering an "Anxiety in the Workplace" workshop on Monday, September 30th from 7-9 pm in Sandy Springs. Sign up to learn the early signs of anxiety, what can contribute to it specifically in the workplace, and coping strategies to navigate this season.