The Scribe

An Apex Warriors Publication

Home
About
Community Post
Blog
Contact

Surviving The Tempest

by | Aug 17, 2024

Facing life’s storms can leave us feeling overwhelmed and disconnected, especially when chaos disrupts our routines and challenges our well-being. In this guide, we’ll explore practical strategies for navigating through turbulent times, reclaiming balance, and emerging stronger. Whether you’re battling burnout or struggling to maintain self-care amidst the chaos, this article offers actionable insights to help you weather the storm and find your path to resilience. 

The Arrival Of The Storm

Life’s storms can hit with such intensity that they leave us feeling overwhelmed, drained, and emotionally detached. I’ve been there—working late into the night, battling anxiety, and finding myself caught in a cycle where self-care seems like a distant dream. It’s easy to lose ourselves in the chaos, neglect our needs, and prioritize everything but our own well-being.

This week, I’ve sacrificed a lot at the altar of chaos. From unexpected metaphorical fires at work and 4:30 AM clock-outs to the disarray of living standards (hello, neglected dishes) and the sudden disappearance of any semblance of self-care, I’ve been distant from friends and family. I’ve been up against the voices of self-criticism, anxiety, and fear.

And you know what? Sometimes, it happens.
Sometimes, life goes down exactly like this.

Turning Challenges into Opportunities for Personal Growth

 

In the past, I would dive deeply into these moments, exploring the discomfort and suffering that emerged in my life. Healing and growth were supposed to be my ticket to rainbows and sunshine, right? I can share that the journey is anything but that. Healing and growth are not linear. They are messy, unpredictable, and ongoing. While I can confidently share that I’ve transformed from a deeply wounded, immature individual to someone who loves life in ways I could never have imagined, it doesn’t mean that there are no more storms on the horizon. Sometimes, it rains. The journey isn’t about escaping storms, its about learning to weather them with peace, integrity and perseverance.

Growth and healing are inherently non-linear. Confronted with chaos, we often focus solely on surviving. Things start to get a little intense and I personally tend towards shutting down a lot of myself, the vibrant parts of me that color the pages of life. I know many of you may struggle with the same self-preservation tactics when confronted with life’s unexpected disruptions.

During the period of shut-down, energy once expended in areas of life that are important to us gets reallocated to focus on whatever things feel threatening to us. By moving away from taking care of ourselves, our connections, or mind-body and soul we burn through all our resources quickly, and each day can become more cumbersome as we are relying on empty batteries. Without pouring back into ourselves, we never replenish what we have exhausted ourselves. When we emerge from the storm, we’re often beaten down, exhausted, and disillusioned. A survival mode mindset can become a stranglehold on our hopes, dreams, and personal development.

But it doesn’t have to knock us so far off track. As warriors, we sometimes take hits that knock the wind out of us, dropping us to our knees. The true warrior is the one who recognizes their reactive state, assumes a level head, employs strategy and discernment, and rises from the battle no less formidable than before. It is this warrior, driven by an indomitable spirit, who continues the journey toward the apex.

So, how do we navigate through the storm?

Recognizing the Struggle

When life gets tough, it’s crucial not just to push through but to acknowledge the signs of burnout and take deliberate action to reclaim balance. Burnout isn’t just about work; it encompasses emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion. We all have moments when we operate on autopilot, surviving on coffee and sheer willpower. I can’t drink 4 pots of coffee by myself in a day like I did as a 20-something java-freak, but I’ve certainly been hitting almost a 12 cup pot each day, drinking it late into the evening and neglecting water. I’ve bounced between convenience foods and the met the dawn before giving into sleep, dragging myself through daily demands with urgency.

I won’t lie and say this lifestyle isn’t sustainable. Most traditional advice would in fact say that this is unsustainable. You can absolutely live this way. These storms can become phases, can become moods, can become personalities. The real reason why it is important for us to spot ourselves in this mode of operation and do something about it is that it will put you on a path that takes you somewhere far from who you aspire to be.

It’s a slow descent into a low standard of living, an acceptance that life is bleak, draining and unfulfilling. It is detrimental to the person each of us picture ourselves to be. It is in direct opposition to the life we desire for ourselves. While at times we are required to temporarily reprioritize to meet the demands of life, neglecting the needs of your mind, body and spirit for too long will lead you down this path.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you find yourself skipping meals, developing an allergy to water, running after the clock, and constantly berating yourself, you might be burning out. You’re likely halfway through the candle wick or more. Recognizing when the pressure starts to crack our foundations is crucial. Once it has been brought into the direct view of our awareness, developing and employing strategy to navigate through the storm is our hope for emerging from the battle minimally damaged and ready to continue moving forward through life.

TRIAGE

Stopping the flow of survival to understand what’s wrong can feel abrupt or frivolous, especially when deadlines loom. However, we can’t fix what we don’t know is broken. Without attention, what is broken will only deteriorate further. Here’s my apprach:

 

Assess Your Standards

List the foundational aspects of your life that aren’t meeting your chosen standard. Focus on simple, actionable items rather than idealistic goals.

Compare Standards to Reality

Evaluate your current reality against your chosen standard. For instance:

  • Sleep Cycle: I used to aim for a 10:00 PM – 6:00 AM sleep cycle. Now, I sleep irregularly, from 1:30 AM to 4:30 AM, often missing my alarm and waking late.
  • Morning Routine: I miss the morning entirely and start my day late, often scrambling to get ready.
  • Work Schedule: My grogginess in the morning affects my productivity, and I struggle with deadlines.
  • Diet: My diet has shifted to convenience foods, neglecting my nutritional needs.
  • Hydration: I sometimes go without water for a day.
  • Caffeine: My coffee consumption is excessive, with no clear cut-off time.
  • Connections: I’ve missed important events and have had minimal contact with loved ones.
  • Spiritual Practices: I’ve neglected meditation and journaling.
  • Chores: My home is cluttered and untidy, affecting my mental space.
  • Entertainment and Nature: I’ve had little time for leisure activities and nature.

    Create Immediate Actions

    • Based on the comparison, identify steps to return to your chosen standard:
    • Sleep: Set a hard bedtime of 10:00 PM and wake-up alarm of 7:00 AM. Use a sunlight alarm clock to help regulate wake-up time.
    • Morning Routine: Prepare everything needed for the day the night before. Set up a peaceful morning routine.
    • Work Schedule: Start work with a coffee in hand by 7:50 AM. Use the first 10 minutes to prioritize tasks and manage distractions.
    • Diet: Plan and prep meals in advance. Opt for quick, simple, nutritious options.
    • Hydration: Eliminate other beverages and focus on drinking water. Add natural flavors if needed.
    • Caffeine: Limit to a maximum of three cups a day with a cut-off time of 2:30 PM. Use reminders to manage intake.
    • Connections: Allocate time on weekends to connect meaningfully with loved ones.
    • Spiritual Practices: Integrate journaling, meditation, and ceremonial practices back into my routine – even if just for a few minutes a day or a few days a week.
    • Chores: Define essential chores, delegate where possible, and establish a manageable, minimum routine.
    • Entertainment and Nature: Schedule time for leisure activities and connect with nature regularly.

    Acknowledging What Can Be Put Off

    During challenging times, it’s important to recognize that some aspects of our lives can be put off temporarily. Not everything requires immediate attention. Prioritize critical areas that need urgent focus, and allow yourself to defer less essential tasks until life starts to ease up. This approach helps prevent overwhelm and allows you to maintain balance while working through your battles.
    By making these adjustments and understanding what can be postponed, you can begin to restore balance and navigate through the storm with renewed clarity and purpose. Embrace the process of returning to your chosen standards and allow yourself to grow through these challenging times.

     Practice

    Take a moment to complete a Personal Resilience Inventory. We prepared a form for you for an easy download – but you can design your own using the following guidelines to customize the inventory to your specific needs:

    Assess Your Life: Rate the following categories from 1 (poor) to 10 (excellent):

    Sleep Quality, Nutrition, Work-Life Balance, Emotional Well-being, Relationships

    Identify Weak Areas: Find which categories have the lowest ratings.

    Set Goals: For each weak area, define one or two specific, actionable goals (e.g., establish a bedtime routine if Sleep Quality is low).

    Create an Action Plan: Outline steps to achieve these goals with short-term and long-term strategies.

    Reflect and Adjust: Review your progress weekly, adjust goals as needed, and note improvements and challenges.

     

     

     

    Journal Prompts

    • Reflect on a recent period where you felt overwhelmed and disconnected due to external demands or personal struggles. What specific actions or patterns contributed to this feeling? How can you adjust your daily routine to better manage these demands while maintaining your well-being?

    • Identify areas of your life where you’ve been neglecting self-care due to pressing responsibilities or stress. What are the immediate, actionable steps you can take to restore balance in these areas? How will implementing these steps impact your overall sense of stability and health?

    • Consider the energy you’ve expended during a recent period of intense stress. Which activities or habits have been depleting your resources the most? Create a plan to gradually reintroduce practices that will help replenish your energy, and outline how you will monitor your progress in this process.

     

    If you found these journal prompts to be helpful, check out our growing list of journal prompts in the community resource library!

    Check Out The Libary!