Wilson Counseling: The Armchair Chronicles

image:dzineblog.com One of the common traits of anxious people is that they tend to catastrophize events in their lives. For example, I might be worried that something I said to a co-worker might be construed as unprofessional and that might lead to me having a bad reputation on the job which might lead to me not being promoted, or even fired. I don't necessarily have any evidence to back this up, but I just feel like it is true. That is catastrophizing. I was working with a client named Kim (not her real name) recently. She rated her anxiety at work at about a 10 out of 10 - in other words very high. Kim had a run in with a co-worker that had resulted in her being called into the human resources office. Ever since that time, she was highly anxious and afraid of any interaction with her co-worker. She avoided this individual, and any possible conflict, at all costs. She felt deep shame about being reprimanded. This was a woman who had twenty years of exemplary service wit...

We are just days away from Thanksgiving, and the marathon race towards Christmas has begun. Holiday shopping, holiday parties, hosting family and a full calendar of to-do's can make this season more hectic than holy. To enjoy the holidays in a way you may not have in years, I encourage you to do two things. First, learn to say not to unnecessary commitments. It can be hard to tell someone no, but learning to set boundaries will help you keep your sanity. Second, make time to set aside to just be quiet and meditate, pray, think...whatever you need to do to slow down the hurried thoughts in your mind and create a sense of peace and order. Even 15 minutes a day of this type of meditation, can will help you feel calmer, more empathetic, and allow you to see your life more clearly and with more perspective.

http://avintageaffairgal.blogspot.com/2011/11/when-retro-ladies-speak-out.html Today is a busy day. You know you have a lot to get done and not enough time to do it all. You start your work day with a quick read of the e-mails in your inbox, but that quick read soon leads down a rabbit trail of distractions. Your friend sent out and e-mail with a video link to some music video about a fox on YouTube. You know you should watch it later, but curiosity has got you... Three minutes and 45 amusing seconds later you chide yourself for the distraction and try to get back to work - if you can divert yourself from the other string of amusing videos, facebook updates, e-mails and articles that are cluttering up your inbox and your mind. There are so many things competing for your time. So, how can you stay on track? First, start by managing the distractions in your life. Review your day and prioritize what is critical to get done that day. It often helps to make a written list. Say no...