the last couple of months have definitely been a lot to deal with it. The past year until now, the pandemic as a result of Covid-19 has challenged us and tested our patience in coping with various aspects of life; work, self, relationships, etc. Today, everyone has become accustomed to struggling with more-than-the-usual stress and anxiety, often blurring the lines between what is under their control and what is not. This leads to many individuals giving their best in dealing with the stressors in rigourous ways, and at times, leading to disappointment.
The following exercise will help you recognize and understand that in every situation that you encounter, there will be things that you can control and things that you cannot control. There are also factors in between which we are often uncertain of, such as other people’s behavior.
When do we see anxiety creeping in? It is when we significantly focus on the factors that are out of our control that we become anxious, thereby, neglecting our focus on things that we can actually influence or bring a change in!! Often in a global scenario like this, what we can focus on are things like self-care, relationships, nutrition etc.
Unfortunately, it often tends to become a feedback loop. That is, anxiety tends to perpetuate itself, keeping us focused on the stressful things we have little to no control over, and making it more difficult to focus on basic things like taking care of ourselves and others.
This activity would aid in the refocusing process. Here is an example of a circle of control:
However, remember that it is okay to worry about the things that lie on the outermost circle (Things you have little to no control over). You do not really have to avoid them because that will not work as a coping method. Rather, acknowledge them and slowly bring your focus to the middle circle, and then to the innermost circle and so on.
Now, it is your turn to create your own CIRCLE OF CONTROL:
