How to Get Out of Survival Mode.
Recently I was chatting with a client about how she was struggling with feeling stuck in “survival mode.” As we talked, I realized that I needed to share part of our conversation here, because I’ve been hearing a LOT of other followers & listeners saying that they’re also feeling the stress of survival mode.
Prefer to Listen? Press Play Below!
“Survival Mode” can look different for everyone. Here are a few ways you might see it showing up in your life:
Shutting Down. This is what my client was experiencing! She found herself shutting down in all aspects of life — from making everyday decisions to the way she was handling working towards her current goals.
Running Away. This is my personal specialty. 😁 If I hit survival mode, then my tendency is to ignore the issues at hand and pretend they don’t exist. Sadly, binging Netflix does NOT make the chores go away, so this only makes the problem worse.
Overly-Busy. Some people handle survival-mode by OVER-filling their calendar as a way of ignoring the real issues they need to deal with. This way they stay busy, occupied, and don’t have time to focus on what’s causing their survival mode.
So, here’s How to Get Out of Survival Mode:
Get it OUT of your Head.
My Pop-pop used to say, “If it don’t pay rent, it’s got to go.” That is absolutely true for your thought life… It’s not helping you to bottle it up, so grab a journal (or open a note in your phone), and write down what’s causing you to feel like you’re in survival mode. I bet it will feel a LOT less stressful once you see it on paper, and it might not be as bad as you’ve been thinking!
Acknowledge what’s Working!
When my client and I were chatting, she casually said that her laundry wasn’t overwhelming her anymore, and I made her stop and gave her a cheer! A few months ago, she had been completely overwhelmed by Mt. Laundry, and the fact that it WASN’T an issue told me she wasn’t seeing her wins. So, take a moment to ask yourself what’s working!
Lean into what’s Exciting!
While we were talking, my client also casually mentioned that she had some growth in her business. (Something that she’s felt was stalled in for a long time!) But, again, she was flying right by that like it wasn’t that big of a deal… So we chatted about some ways that she could lean INTO the excitement of that HUGE win! Ask yourself what’s feeling exciting right now, and think about some ways that you can lean into that!
Start to Troubleshoot.
Once we had a good chat, we took a look at the list we got on paper (See the first step!) We really just brainstormed a bunch of ideas that might make those things feel less stressful, or what might make them easier. Sit down (or ask a trusted friend to help) and think about some creative solutions to each area that’s bringing stress. Now, the fun part begins — testing out your ideas! Remember these aren’t absolute solutions… they are just IDEAS. It will take time to see if they will work, or not.
Need to chat about Survival Mode?
Let’s meet up for a Wonder Session!
You'll get a ½ hour chat with me to talk about mindset, intentional living, or whatever — no strings attached. 😉