The Fog
It’s that time of year in the Waikato, where the fog rolls in, sitting heavily in the air.
It is also that time of year, where many people experience their own version of the fog. Maybe it’s ‘brain fog’ where thoughts or memories feel clouded or scrambled. Maybe it’s a physical fog, with a slow and weighed down feeling. Or perhaps it’s a fog where there’s a sense of being lost, directionless or unable to see a path.
Our own fog can be caused by many factors and often it’s a combination. The fog could be a symptom of something underlying like; a health condition, depression, anxiety or seasonal affective disorder. Other times, it might just be fog. A temporary feeling or sensation, not necessarily requiring an official diagnosis or in-depth pathologising.
But the thing about fog, regardless of the cause, is that when we’re in it, it can be tricky to see a way through. Tough to see what it’s hiding. And hard to know how long it’s going to last. When we’re in the fog, inertia can set it. We can feel stuck in looping patterns of thoughts or behaviours.
As a psychologist, I often work with people to navigate fog. To do this, we talk about the areas they are struggling with or feel stuck or alone. Home? Work? Health? Relationships? Getting up in the morning? Exhaustion? Medication? Sleep? Burnout? Overload? We also focus on understanding strengths. What’s helped in the past. What they enjoy or used to enjoy? How about exercise, sleep and nutrition?
When we understand what’s going on, we can always find a path. So often just taking the first step of hope, can bring about a positive change. That first step might be as simple as acknowledging the fog. Or asking for some help. I had a great example of this recently when a former client contacted me asking for a top-up session. We scheduled an appointment and they replied saying they felt better already!
Back to the fog in the Waikato, I try to get out for a walk most days. But when it’s foggy I am great at finding excuses to stay inside. It’s a classic case of fog inertia! I’ll kid myself that I’ll go to the gym instead (even though I know myself and that I really only go to the gym when it’s part of my scheduled routine and I go with a mate). When I notice this happening, I remind myself I’ll feel better afterwards. I try not to think too much, put my shoes on, find some upbeat music or a good podcast and get out the door. I also remind myself that while it might look like thick fog, there’s generally some visibility if I focus on what’s right in front of me.
This is true as we navigate our own fog too.
If you feel like you’re in the fog, or weighed down by fog inertia, it might not be the time for big strategic decisions. However, we can build momentum by focusing on the small steps right in front of us. And in doing so, we might find we move to an area without fog, or allow the fog to naturally lift. Because even the thickest fog never lasts.
Feel free to get in contact if you’re feeling stuck in the fog at the moment. Or check out some of the Mental Health Foundation’s wellbeing resources here.
