Life getting to be too much? It was for me. Through the winter of 2012 into 2013, everyday functions were becoming a problem. Getting out of bed, getting to work, and taking care of myself all became insurmountable tasks. I'll spare you the details, but eventually, with time and the help of some wonderful people, I got into a better place.
Every now and then, the darkness comes knock, knock, knocking again; when I haven't slept well in days, when stress from grad school get overwhelming. There is one thought exercise that pulls me away from that abyss almost without fail.
"I have a roof overhead, and food in the belly. Everything else is a luxury."
I return to the absolute basics of survival, and start a list in my head of how they all get met without fail in my life. I know where I'm sleeping tonight. I know where my next meal is coming from. If the plans I have in place for each of those were to fall through, I have other options.
Using Maslow's hierarchy of needs, we can expand: there's no one trying to kill me. My personal safety is not in imminent danger. I have a job (more or less). I have no major health issues. I have family and friends I can turn to in times of need. I could go on, but you probably get the idea. I often don't even need to go through the whole shebang, but just the first line a few times:
"I have a roof overhead, and food in the belly. Everything else is a luxury."
It sounds too simple to work, but it works for me. This has become incredibly useful in dealing with the stress of grad school. When I remember that all my basic needs in life are more than adequately met, it seems like less of a deal that I have an upcoming exam that I'm not prepared for, that my schedule is packed, that day to day life is stressful.
This might be too dark for some people, but I find it comforting. If I were to fail out of grad school, if the PI kicked me out of the lab, if I had a major medical emergency, everything would still be okay. Because I would still have a roof over my head, and I would still have food in my belly. And everything else can be dealt with.
