The Stress of Going Through Hell...

My life decided to take a downward turn last February starting with a leak from the kitchen ceiling which caused the electricity to cut out and the ceiling to come down. This impacted my neighbours, my work and my income. Managing this caused stress and then a close family member had a heart attack... So! When life becomes chaotic, it can certainly feel like you're being swept away by a current you didn’t choose yet keeping going doesn’t mean pushing blindly through. For me, it means steadying yourself in small, intentional ways. Here are some ideas that might help anchor you like they helped me:

🌪️ Acknowledge the Stress and Chaos Without Sinking Into It

• Let yourself name what’s happening. “This is a lot right now.” That simple statement can be grounding.

• You don’t have to make sense of it all immediately. Just recognise: "this is hard and I am still here."

🧩 Focus on What You Can Control

• Structure helps. Small routines (making tea, writing a list, a short walk, writing a blog) can reintroduce a sense of agency.

• Break tasks into the next doable step — not the next five, just the next one.

💬 Connect With Others

• Chaos is isolating yet reaching out (even briefly) to a friend, family, therapist, or support group can bring perspective and warmth. I went dancing - very good to get away from the mess!

• You don’t need solutions from others, just presence.

🧘 Slow Moments Are a Form of Resistance

• Deep breaths. A pause. Looking out the window watching the rain, noticing the flowers or just the street.

• In a chaotic world, slowness and care are radical acts of self-protection.

🌱 Remember: Survival Is Enough

• There will be time later for thriving. Right now, surviving is noble, real work!

• Keeping going doesn’t require perfection — only persistence and gentleness.

• This happens to us all - just take one day, one hour, one minute, one second at a time...

Remember the quote most often attributed to Winston Churchill "if you're going through hell, keep going." It reminds us that even in difficult times perseverance is moving forward. Remember the tortoise and the hare...