Episode 133: Staying Smart During a Crisis
I experienced a crisis recently. Someone in the house tested positive for COVID. All the schedules had to be rearranged. It wasn’t a huge crisis, but in the moment, it felt really big.
We’ve all had those moments when we think things are going in one direction and then, BAM, everything’s turned upside down without notice. It doesn’t have to be a crisis of global or even national proportions — it just has to affect our lives.
When that happens, our brain stops working a little and the reaction sets in. That’s when we make mistakes. Crises are moments of resistance — and they don’t usually lead to the best response:
“There goes my whole day. I guess I’m not going to get anything else done,” you think.
I’m sure you’ve been in that place before, when one moment derails your day — or worse, your week.
So, one of the things I want to teach you today to stay smart during a crisis is to ask this question: What do I need right now?
It's a powerful question. It sounds almost too simple to be effective. But it works, I promise. And you can take it a little bit further: What do I need now? What am I feeling? Check in with yourself. If you need to feel scared, do it. Tell yourself, “I'm going to give myself 30 seconds to just feel scared.”
Now if it’s a life-threatening crisis, it’s even more critical to check in with ourselves and anyone affected. If something happens to a loved one, many of us kick into hyper service mode. We’ll go above and beyond what the person needs and wind up depleted and exhausted.
That mentality is a form of high-functioning codependency. It’s a fight for control or the desire to feel useful in a moment of overwhelm. So, ask. Check in with the people you think need you right now. Check in with yourself. Know you are being helpful in the situation because you are meeting a need.
Ready to learn more? Pop in those earphones, and let’s get to it!
Other Game On Girlfriend podcast episodes you might want to check out:
What Over-Functioning is and How to Stop
Is it OK to be Happy Right Now?
How to Deal With Mom Guilt and Balance
You can check out our podcast interviews on YouTube, too!
