There is a wild overlap in the symptoms and sometimes one set of symptoms can “cause” the other; in the case of your having persistent and repetitive thoughts about your lack of productivity or having a really low mood because you are always feeling frazzled and overwhelmed. There is a growing body of research and thinking that supports the idea that the mechanisms of these symptoms are not actually that different and that anxiety and depression are, in fact, two sides of the same coin.

“Why are you like this? Why can’t you get it together? It’s not that big of a deal.” You may have berated yourself with some version of this through the years; Maybe even convinced yourself it was well-intentioned or the “tough love” you needed. Let’s talk about a different, kinder, more caring way of relating to yourself.

With the changing of the season, nature teaches us to embrace transition. You may find that different seasons bring up particular emotions and experiences for you, some more comfortable and easy-to-embrace than others. Regardless of whether you feel ready to step into this particular season, it is coming. Transitions are hard and you can choose to meet them with openness and grace.