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Drifting & Anxiety and Stress Reduction
Improving Mental Health with the Help of Austin Therapists
Gretchen Rubin is a published author who began her career as a lawyer after drifting into law school, not because she particularly had that goal in mind, but because it was just the next natural step after taking the LSAT.
Gretchen uses the term drift to describe events or patterns of behavior in one's life that are the result of passive decision making instead of mindful choices. This sort of behavior pattern can be seen in most situations, for example engagements that reach marriage only because it is the next natural step after a few years of dating, or athletes who never had a true passion for their sport, but pursued the athletic career because of their talent alone. Gretchen points out that while drift seems small (and often starts out that way), it can quickly grow into a larger, more dangerous problem. For example, the marriage mentioned above results in divorce, or the athlete suffers from a career of burn-out and apathy.
Since drift is not necessarily an identifiable feeling, object, or experience, Gretchen offers the following outline for recognizing drift in your actions and lifestyle:
-Thinking "I can't keep doing this" and then doing it anyways
-Complaining instead of actively working to improve your situation
-Hoping that something bad will happen outside of your control that will change the situation for you
-Being carried along by other people's choices and actions instead of your own
In addition to general lack of fulfillment, drift can lead to anxiety, stress, and depression. Mental health counseling is an excellent resource for sorting through problems related to drift and setting up a plan for positive change. Anxiety and stress reduction are paramount to one's state of mental health and can be greatly improved by working with a licensed professional. You can view qualified Austin therapists by visiting the Counselors page here.
To view Gretchen Rubin's full article entitled A Problem in Happiness: Drift, please visit her blog at http://www.happiness-project.com.
