It’s easy to slip into limbo thinking: “Just make it through the holidays [or this project or COVID or this crisis or…you can fill in the blank]” The idea is that if we can just endure this circumstance, things will lighten up on the other side. Unfortunately, limbo thinking often leads to decreased self-care and increased anxiety, especially if the days turn into weeks or months. It’s a life-on-hold mindset. The solution is to Stay in Today to Lift Your Mood.
Limbo thinking is all about the future so the antidote is to focus on today, one moment at a time. When we stop pacifying ourselves with the idea that our stress will decrease later, we can begin taking care of ourselves now. As one of my clients recently told me, taking two minutes to breathe deeply and focus on one body sensation feels like taking a 20-minute break. And when your mind makes promises about an easier future, gently remind yourself that the only life you have is happening in this very moment. Be present for it.