“Showing Up While Struggling Inside”
First time here. I'm Dr. Cherise Johnson. I'm a licensed clinical mental health therapist and a mindfulness practitioner. But most importantly, I'm human. Just like you are. And I. Absolutely believe that there are many ways to be well. And you hang out with me long enough. We're going to get into. All of them as you come in, let me know a few things. One, where are you in the world? I am currently in Minneapolis. And even though the week is just getting started. I just want you to take a. Quick inventory.
I don't think this is a time that you necessarily need to rate your week unless. It's later because we just got started. But I do think it's a really helpful opportunity for you to. Consider, how am I feeling about the week ahead? Right. So when you think about everything that is in front of you. Everything that you have coming up. I want you to step back. And really consider one of the reasons that I switched to doing a live and, and kind of connecting with you at the beginning of the week is because I.
Want to give you tools that you can use to help guide your week. A lot of times, part of having Sunday scaries and feeling overwhelmed about Monday is because we. Haven't actually taken the time. To really sit with and address everything that we know is coming. And what adjustment that we need to wait, make. You if you've spent time with me before we talk a lot as well about. Really being honest about the context of your life and all of the things that are happening. So a couple things I want you to consider as you think about what's happening for the week ahead and not, don't want you to just think about.
Your schedule and all the things that you have to do. I want you to also take a moment. And consider how am I showing up, how am I stepping into this week? What's true about where I am. And what is the difference between. What the world may think about how I'm doing and how I'm feeling. In what is actually true. And if you're someone that's writing or taking notes, I would even encourage you to kind of walk through this with me. I often do this activity around an iceberg. Where you draw a line in the middle of the paper, represents water and we talk about the iceberg is everything.
That you want people to think and believe about how you're doing this week. So take a few minutes. And just kind of consider what are you hoping I do you want people to think that you're successful that. You have it all together that you are doing well, that you're happy. That you're productive. And then beneath the surface. What's true. Now it could be congruent. It could be the exact same thing, which is great. But you might also find that there is a difference between. What, you know, you're holding beneath the surface and what you're showing.
Now mental fitness and emotional wellbeing doesn't mean that you have to walk around and let everybody know everything. About you and, and what you're navigating, but it is. Very helpful for you to consider. Based on what you are carrying. Where can you make adjustments to your rate. So I'm gonna give you a few ways that you can do that. One, I want you to take a look at. All of the priorities that you have this week. And really consider out of all of them. What are the top five, not the top five that you need to complete today.
But for this week, not just the ones that you're like, it would be great to get this done, but what are. The most five important time sensitive pieces. In your life that need your attention. And then give yourself permission to move the others to another time. Two, I also want you to consider. Who pours into you, right? Who can you connect with this week? Show up as your authentic self, but also, you know, that spending time with them. Is something that is beneficial for you. Or something that pours into you versus drains you.
Because sometimes we can have a really. Tough habit of having a difficult week and then. Spending time with people who are a drain, right. The third encouragement is I want you to practice micro breaks. Breaks. We need those regulation breaks. They can be. As little as 30 seconds. Up to five minutes, but their moments for you to stop. For you to breathe. Notice are you breathing shallow? Are you breathing deep? And then really ask yourself. How am I really I want you to try those three things as you go throughout the week and then.
Let me know how it goes. Quick, tangible ways that you can head into the week. Remind yourself. You really are enough to get through whatever you're facing this week. There's no such thing as the perfect day, the perfect week. It just. Is and come back into this space whenever you need to. And we'll be right here. Ready to support you. In all the days ahead, have a good one.
