Spring and Possibilities
It is officially spring. And that means some days are warm and some are still cold. Spring is really about opportunities. It is about possibilities. As I move into spring and away from winter I am naturally drawn to planning. Planning what we will put in our small garden, and what flowers in the pots that decorate the deck and office. Any new herbs this year in my herb garden? I wonder, I think, I plan. Lost in the delights of warm air and a season outside. Of windows open, of singing birds of long walks with Kurt and Tanner (our Australian Shepard).
When we are struggling with depression or anxiety this wistful hoping and wondering can be shadowed by the worst-case scenario. A kind of dark cloud that can only imagine a future in the grimmest of ways. This of course is our brain’s attempt at protection. If we can be prepared for the worst, we will have a much better chance of survival.
We always have options. There are always possibilities. Sometimes when depression hits us hard and our anxiety is overwhelming, our minds tend to narrow our options and restrict the possibilities. Fear of disappointment makes us wary of hope.
Did you know that our brains are wired to be negative? This is an adaptive protective process. When we expect the worst and prepare for it, we as a human race have a much better likelihood of survival. The thing about this negative wiring is that it tends to be too generalized. So, our brains connect things to increase our odds. This is why it is important to check in with our thoughts to decide if they are accurate before we just believe our negative brain. Ever noticed how it is so much easier to believe a negative comment than a positive one? This is your brain at work, doing what brains do.
Next time you feel like you are facing a future full of limited options, remind yourself that your brain is trying to protect you. You can say, “Hey thank you brain,” and then stay open to the opportunities all around you. They are out there if you keep looking for them.