Watching a Chicken Run

Nicole Effron
Aug 27, 2017 · 2 min read

I saw this chicken in Connecticut at a little farm and felt some form of obligation to take a picture of it running.

I spend a lot of time making sure that I am busy or that I will be busy to keep out my own thoughts. To keep out the anxiety that is looming constantly in the background. It doesn’t work all the time but it usually does. I have enough of a distraction typically that I can be positive that the anxiety can’t creep in.

I’ve recently started wondering, though, if that’s actually a horrible coping mechanism. I’ve missed events and outings I’ve wanted to go to because my schedule is so packed. I’ve cancelled plans to do something that I know will keep me more distracted. I have trouble enjoying small things because I sit there giving myself anxiety about how my anxiety is going to slowly creep up on me and bring all of that looming stuff back up.

I wonder if I spent all of that time distracting myself and instead used it to actually cope with whatever was bothering me or whatever I was afraid was going to bother me if I would be better off. I don’t know though. I don’t know if I’d be doing a Master’s degree then or if I would’ve started The AMAZING Campaign. I don’t know if I would’ve started dog sitting or even dating. I guess it’s a lot easier to question yourself then to accept what you’ve done. Or maybe that’s just me.

Maybe I’m just trying to run as fast as that chicken. And maybe I need to slow down.

)

Nicole Effron

My dwarf hamster’s name is Goat.

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