What I Learned From My Anxiety
We have all at some point felt this feeling of something large sitting on our shoulders or chest and feeling like all of these things are weighing you down. You're laying in bed at night trying to fall asleep and the millions of things that you have to get done or ideas or whatever, is running through your mind. We all have those days where the anxiety just seems to be a little too much. Statistically speaking, the millennial generation is among the safest and most efficient and creative of all the generations. So the question is, why is anxiety getting the best of us?
Anxiety stems from feelings of worry and unease about uncertain outcomes. It’s our preoccupation with hypothetical situations. We respond to these feelings by trying to control everything we can in an attempt to ensure a desirable outcome. Every day we’re bombarded by billions of marketing dollars aimed to convince us that the more money we make, vacations we go on, and more attractive we make ourselves – the closer we’ll be to a life that finally meets our expectations.
We live in a world where social media and what we see online and how many likes and comments we get, is what is going to make or break us. We get so wrapped up in this fantasy worlds, that we get into the habit of comparing ourselves, that we have this anxiety that we need to be doing other things and straying from who we really are.
We all have our own backstories with anxiety and some people's anxiety may be worse than others and people handle their anxiety in different ways. Not one person is alike and that is what makes it important for everybody to handle it the way that they need to to keep moving through life. I am the person that gets into bed and absolutely CANNOT shut my mind off. I have ideas running through my mind, what I need to do tomorrow or next week, travel I need to book, etc. the list goes on. Thoughts can be paralyzing, especially since it’s estimated that the human brain has about 60,000-80,000 thoughts per day. That’s a lot of things to sift through before dozing off.
My anxiety came later in life when I was in high school but it wasn't until a couple of years ago that I finally put my foot down and said okay I need to learn how to control these feelings and thoughts and put everything back in my own hands. Needless to say it was not an easy process to go through. I always like to be on the go and busy but I found out that sometimes I can't do that because that is where my anxiety stems from. That I am not moving and I am not doing all the things that I need to be doing. I used to think if I could just find the right sleeping aid or lavender oil my anxiety would stop and my thoughts would just shut off. But the solution wasn’t in any kind of pill or sleep meditation method. I had a lot of people telling me I should take medication but I under no circumstances wanted to do that, I wanted to figure this out on my own and find my own methods.
Things That Have Worked For Me:
1. Have a consistent workout schedule to keep your serotonin levels up. Even if you start with walking on the treadmill and stretching. Start somewhere. I have found that working out is the most mentally cleansing thing that I can do to make me feel better.
2. Make people a priority in your schedule.
3. Stop saying how busy you are (I say I am busy all day everyday). We make time for the things that are most important to us.
4. If you are laying in bed and you can't get those thoughts to stop, grab a piece of paper and pen or pencil and write it all down. I have found that once I get it down on paper and out of my head, it doesn't me so anxious and I can go to sleep a little easier.
5. If things get really too big, SCREAM into a pillow! I know this isn't the simplest of things but it sure lets you get it all out and have some relief off your chest.
6. Positive self talk will change your life. Remind yourself that it’s normal to worry about the future. YOU’RE NORMAL for having anxiety. If you think about this as something that can be improved, you’ll realize it’s not just something you have to live with.
Now I know these are not the magic ways of life that will suddenly cure your anxiety, but it isn't about curing it, it's about controlling it. I continue to learn everyday about my anxiety because not everyday is the same. All of those things that I have listed above, have all helped me in ways you wouldn't believe and continue to help me today. I really want to hear from y'all what things work for you and how you deal with your anxiety. It is such a powerful and eye-opening thing to know that you aren't the only one who is going through something like you are.
Love, Dani
