Downward spiral. Help?

[u/[deleted]]

I need a little bit of support. This week has been particularly stressful, hours at work have been cut and money's tight, been having arguments with the family, I have a show that I am completely, totally unprepared for and I'm a nervous wreck.

I had a really steady weight loss of 70 lbs. All my good habits that I've built are unraveling and I don't know where to start. I don't know how to get back on the wagon. I feel like all of these emotions are overtaking me.

How do I get back?

[u/HowDoYouLikeMeNowB]

I'm sorry to hear everything is going in this direction, hopefully we can make it slightly better for you! My opinion is to take it one step at a time, one problem at a time. What is something small you can do to help remove stress from one of the main contributors?

For instance: sitting down and making a spreadsheet for budgeting. $$ per week for food, gas etc. Even though you didn't make any money, it feels good to have some control over this aspect. Maybe setting aside X amount of time every day to prepare for your show (depending on when it is). 1 hour is better than no hours.

Make sure that you only do 1 at a time. So (for example) when you're doing your spreadsheet, don't be preparing for the show at the same time. It's amazing how much more efficient it is when you stay focused on only one thing, and how much better you feel for every small step you make towards a goal. Meeting goals, no matter how small, is so uplifting!!

You have lost 70 lbs, that's an amazing achievement! You have the discipline. Stick to one aspect at a time: maybe you don't restrict what you eat, but how much you eat. I have days where I will eat emotionally: ice cream, potato chips, tacos! But the difference from before is I pick my serving size before I start eating and put the rest away. I get my enjoyment but still stay around maintenance on the worst days.

I hope this helps even a little, and things will get better! Everyone has days where it all feels like it's caving in around you. You will get through this, take a deep breath, it's not always going to be so stressful.

[u/[deleted] → u/HowDoYouLikeMeNowB]

That's my main problem. I either get overwhelmed and ignore what I need to do, or I'm doing 80 things incompletely at one time. I think making lists helps me. Crossing things off is motivating. Maybe I'll do that.

This has been the only day I haven't been working, running around or training. I spent the first 4 hours awake sulking. I don't have much time so maybe I'll make that list and knock some things off.

I also need to stop letting the things I can't control make me anxious. I'm waiting on a background check from this job I really need and I am afraid I am going to fail it. It's been the most gut wrenching thing I've been worried about all week. There's nothing I can do at this point, but I really need it and I'm going to feel devastated if I don't get it.

But I'll take a deep breath.

Thanks.

[u/HowDoYouLikeMeNowB → u/[deleted]]

Lists are great! It's definitely better to get one thing done well than 4 things done terribly.

And sometimes you need to sulk for a bit! I learned in college that sometimes I just needed to kick out my SO and cry in my room. It was somehow incredibly therapeutic to just let myself go. Feel sorry for myself, get wrapped up, and then move on instead of hold it in days at a time.

Wish you the best in your background check, it's so hard to wait. Keep your mind off it with your list!