That gnawing sense of unease and that we call anxiety affects far too many of us. Whilst it’s estimated that 4% of the global population currently experience a diagnosable anxiety disorder, millions more experience a lingering sense of trepidation and worry that undermines living with ease. Anxiety steals our ability to flourish and thrive – which is why many people seek out therapy to better understand their own triggers and anxious responses. But what else can you do?
Do you find yourself avoiding, putting off or actively ignoring a task that needs doing? Do you struggle to get started on a project? If so, you are likely to struggle with procrastination – and you’re not alone. It’s been estimated that 95% of us struggle with procrastination to some degree. Procrastination is a common human experience, but research shows that some people are more likely to procrastinate than others.
John Donne famously wrote “no man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main”. This 400-year-old wisdom is a reminder of the importance of relationships for humans. We don’t exist in isolation. Instead, we are relational beings who flourish in social interaction. When we live under the illusion of being a remote island, independent of others, we are destined for a life of painful and lonely isolation. Yet, whilst relationships are important to us as humans, they too can be places of pain.