I knew October would be busy. I saw all the stuff coming up, and I sensed things would converge. It’s hard not to notice when I’m the one adding the commitments and tasks to my calendars and to-do lists.

One thing I’ve been trying to release this year is my anxiety about these periods of busy-ness, which arise at several points throughout the year. I don’t mind recognizing and naming that there’s a hectic period coming up, as I’m not trying to suppress or deny anything here, but it doesn’t feel good to whine or complain about it. This may sound like a cliché, but I don’t want my anxiety about the future to prevent me from enjoying the present moment.

Now that I’m in the midst of one of those busy times, albeit closer to the end than the beginning, I’m trying to reflect on how I did. Was I able to let go of my stress and anxiety? Did I go into panic mode? Is there any way I can improve?

My verdict: I did ok. And there’s definitely room for improvement.

I did whine and complain a little. But I also shared with the people who matter to me, in an objective way, that I’d busy and might not be as present.

This month, I’ve been living one TickTick day at a time. For the most part, I’ve resisted the temptation to look ahead. I do what I can each day, and I listen to my body and brain when they need rest. When I have the energy, I do more. And when I’m motivated to work on my creative projects, I put my paid work aside. I try not to sweat it, as I’m certain I’ll get everything done.

I still have the occasional tingle of anxiety, which prompts me to observe, “Oh, that’s interesting. I’m feeling some sort of way about this.” Then I allow time and momentum to work their magic, so I can continue to get sh!t done. Because time will march on regardless of how stressed I am, and getting sh!t done makes me feel good.