When we are stuck in low mood, or in anxious thoughts, the temptation is to sit there and try to think our way out of it. For the most part, I'm a big fan of keeping things until they are ready to go away – I think they arrive for a reason and that it’s better to find the reason rather than treat the symptom. However, it can make us feel quite despondent to sit there waiting.

One thing I've found which helps me when I’m stuck, is to do things for the future me. This can be quite far reaching or it can be small.

If I’m anxious about travel then I can pack the bag, print the tickets, fill a water bottle in advance and put everything near the door so I can rest those thoughts. Not all the thoughts, but some of them. Good enough.

If I’m working at home, I can cut up carrots and apples and leave them by the kettle, encouraging my tea-break self to eat them before I eat brownies. (Off topic whirl – why does a sliced-up apple taste better than a whole apple?)

I can do the yoga daily and ease next month’s muscles. I can indulge myself in making time to play with some writing to see what I think of it in the spring. All of it boils down to taking some sort of action to let mood and anxiety know they’re seen but that they’re not priority.

Maybe today you can consider what the future you might like. And you might even like yourself from the future. Always a good thing for growing self-esteem. Win win.

Love from 

The room above the garage

A Moodscope member