| Internal stressor | Barrier | Countermeasures |
|---|---|---|
Recovery guilt. | Believing that I have to seek permission from others or ourselves to switch off and recharge. | Permission. Grant myself a permission slip to take time for mental rejuvenation, creative play and physical recovery. |
Excessive pride. | A belief that I need to be self-reliant and capable of navigating all challenges without outside assistance. | Ask for support. Be willing to ask for emotional support and guidance from trusted peers, family members, therapists, coaches or mentors. |
Foolish grit. | Mistaking commitment for workaholism, stubbornly forging ahead and not listening to physical or emotional warning signs. | Self-enquiry. Asking what story or belief might be underneath a perpetual desire to forge ahead, lose sleep or keep your nose to the grindstone at all costs. |
Fixed mindset. | Believing that ‘this is just the way it is’—not appreciating that my nervous system and brain is neuroplastic and thus have the capacity to learn and rewire. | Growth mindset. Viewing certain stressors as an opportunity for growth and reframing their context with personal values e.g. “I’m stressed about recording the NSM podcast because I deeply care about the work I'm doing...” |
Lack of perspective. | Catastrophising, projecting into the future and imagining current challenges to be insurmountable. | Equanimity. Revisit my mindfulness practice and remembering that whatever arises, ‘this too shall pass’. |
Imposter syndrome. | Times when I've experienced a harsh ‘inner-critic’ which gets in the way of recovery practices | Kind words. Start collecting ‘kind words’ in a note file on your computer as a reminder of how I've helped others or the impact that my contributions have had. |