Open when everything feels too much and you want to give up

Dear Lisa,

This is the turbulence, not the crash. I need you to hear that. This awful feeling will pass. You're not going to feel like this forever.

Do this RIGHT NOW:

• 📞 Call someone - me, a friend
• 🚶‍♀️ Get outside - walk, sit in sun (or rain!), breathe fresh air
• 🫁 Box breathing - 4 seconds in, 4 hold, 4 out, 4 hold (repeat 5 times)
• 💧 Drink water - sometimes panic is partly dehydration

Remember this: "It doesn't have to win."

You've survived 100% of your worst days so far. This day will join that list. You will survive this too.

Right now, you don't need to

• Fix everything
• Make big decisions
• Be okay
• Have it figured out

Right now, you just need to: Take the next breath. Then the next one. Then the next one.

One breath at a time.

This feeling is temporary. It's huge and awful right now, but it's temporary. Don't make permanent decisions based on temporary feelings.

Please reach out. Please talk to someone. Please don't sit alone with this.

You matter. Even when you don't feel like you do.

Love, Chris 🫂