Are you in a summertime slump?

Happy July, friends! I hope that you are taking care of yourself this month mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. If you are someone who struggles with anxiety, summertime might be a time where you notice your anxiety symptoms increasing. For some people, breaks in their routines, family members visiting, and/or changes in their work schedule can feel stressful and out of the ordinary. Additionally, if you are someone who struggles with body image issues, then summertime might be triggering for you for many different reasons. For others though, summertime might be nostalgic and filled with happy, blissful moments. No matter where you are right now, I want you to take a deep breath and remind yourself that it is okay if you are feeling off, overwhelmed, or not quite like yourself in this season. If you find yourself getting caught up in someone else’s fabulous beach vacation through their perfectly filtered Instagram feed, remember that people only put on display what they want others to see and that social media doesn’t give us the full picture of someone’s life.

If you are in a slump this summer, try to increase your awareness around your thoughts and how they impact your mood and behaviors/actions. For example, are you letting your intrusive thoughts “run” your day by believing they are factual rather than just letting them float on/ignoring them? Try to set aside time each day for whatever routines/habits keep you grounded and in touch with your daily life/reality, which no doubt is beautiful in its own unique way (even if you aren’t going to exotic beaches or far away places this summer). If you find yourself struggling to feel present in your day to day life or are getting stuck in self-comparison, then these journal prompts are posted with you in mind. Check them out below:

Journal Prompts for Anxiety:

What does my anxiety look like? Describe what it feels like for you to feel anxious and write where/how it shows up in your daily life.

Where does anxiety show up in your body? How does it make you physically feel to be anxious?

What thoughts are going through your head right now? Do a brain dump of every intrusive/anxious thought that you are currently experiencing.

If anxiety left me for the day, how would my day look? What things would I be able to do without the feeling of anxiety?

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever given someone else when they were anxious? Write out what it would sound like if you gave that same advice to yourself.

What are you currently most anxious about? Write that out, then list a few things that are in your control and others that are out of your control. 

What might my anxiety triggers be today/this week? Make a list of those. Next, consider how you’d like to support yourself and structure your day/week to manage those stressors.

List three things or people that made you smile recently. What happened in these situations? 

Consider your “to do” list. What can you reasonably accomplish today? What things can wait until tomorrow?

Can you pinpoint anything you’re consistently anxious about? (For example, maybe you constantly worry about your health or driving to new places) How long have you seen this pattern of worry, and what would make you feel better about it?

Journal Prompts for Body Image Issues:

What would you say to a friend who is struggling to accept themselves because of their body? Try reading this back to yourself and applying it to your own struggles.

How can you honor and support your body today?

What does your body allow you to do? Make a list of all the ways your body shows up for you.

Talk to your younger self about where you are in life and what you’ve accomplished (notice if anything related to your body/weight/appearance comes up).

What kind of support do you need when you are having a bad body image day?

How does social media impact how you feel about your body image? How do you think it would feel to do a social media cleanse for the next 24 hours?

When do you feel your strongest?

What are 3 happy/amazing moments that would not have been possible without your body?

Thanks for reading! I hope that you are taking care of yourself in a way that makes sense for you during this summer season. As always, if you are looking to get connected with a therapist and/or are looking for local resources, please don’t hesitate to reach out via phone (757) 434-5811 or email vbcounselingcollective@gmail.com