Did you feel it too…?
Discombobulated, stretched thin, off track, energy all over the place, on edge, surrounded by chaos, not feeling yourself, boundaries being overstepped, falling into old patterns…
Last week, I had several conversations with people who felt like they had a first-class seat on the Drama Train.
In the moment, I was quick to blame the planets, the changing seasons, the time of the year, and the fact that there are so many things that don’t feel quite right in the world at the moment. All of these things may (or may not) be true.
But the one question I keep circling back to is: “How much of the chaos do we walk into – and what impact does it have on our own wellbeing?”
At the risk of sounding clichéd (and minimising vital aspects of dysregulation and trauma responses), drama, toxic environments, blame, and chaos are unavoidable and its about how we turn down the volume – regardless of what the moon, seasons, or the greater universe are doing.
There will always be things we can’t control. How much we engage with, or get sucked into that energy, and the responses we put in place are sometimes the only things we can control.
Here’s the thing, we often get tangled up in things out of obligation, habit, or expectation (or perhaps there’s something beneficial for you) without being aware of how our energy is impacted, and what we can do to avoid getting completely sucked into other people’s chaos.
Over the past week, I’ve found myself protecting my energy in some ways you may find helpful next time you find yourself trying to decide if you get on board the Drama Train or not.
❤️ Leaving the room or exiting a conversation.
❤️ Switching off or altering what I consume (I haven’t watched the news in years).
❤️ Grounding myself and helping someone else regulate instead of getting infected by their chaos.
❤️ Releasing the tension from my body (shaking it out, moving, water, music, hugging, crying, creating are all great ways to release energy).
❤️ Putting boundaries in place or reasserting ones that have slipped.
❤️ Hanging out in ‘safe’ places where I can just be (plus staying in the silence of home)
It all starts with awareness and remembering that, as humans, we can quickly get drawn into old patterns of caring and connecting that aren’t always useful to us.
I’d love to know what things help avoid getting sucked into chaos or drama.Here’s to a week of being well.
Bel
PS: One of the most common conversation points during my workplace wellbeing workshops is how to navigate or avoid being sucked into interpersonal drama. If you’d like to tackle this in your organisation, let’s set up a time to chat. Reply to this email and I’ll send you a link to my diary.
Every Sunday afternoon, Bel sends the Ignite community a personal note of encouragement – reflection, inspiration, stories, and sharing. It’s our way of helping you prepare for the week ahead. Add your details here to receive Here’s The Thing in your inbox.