Anxiety has been a part of who I am for 20+ years now. You would think that I would be used to the way it can completely take over. The way it will suck the joy out of otherwise pleasant experiences. How it can make me dread events that normally would be excitedly anticipated. Whispering it's constant reminder that something is going to go wrong and somehow it's going to be my fault and everyone will blame me and be upset. Disappointment is devastating to my already fragile sense of self. It is all of these and so many other that have conditioned me to respond in the manner I do. My baby sister got married over the weekend and I was in her wedding party. I have had months to prepare myself mentally for this weekend and all it entailed, yet my anxiety still got the best of me on this joyous occasion. I did my best to keep myself grounded so that I could enjoy as much of the day as I could. Still I had to go outside and sit in my car a few different times throughout the reception to be able to get back into a good head space. This took me away from "being present" and resulted in missing moments that I'll never get back. I hate what my anxiety takes from me and those I love. There are different ways to try to cope with anxiety. I use a variety of methods depending on the situation. Sometimes it takes a combination of techniques to get back to a stable countenance. The first thing I always start with may seem like a no-brainer, but it is focused deep breathing. I will breathe in for a count of 4 and exhale for a count of 4. This steady breathing will help to slow heart rate, helping me to calm down. This is a good time to try another grounding technique. My "go-to" is the 5-4-3-2-1 coping process. Find 5 things you see around you. List 4 things you can touch. Acknowledge 3 things you can hear (externally, not your thoughts). Pick out 2 things you can smell. Finally, 1 thing you can taste. This process forces me out of my head and away from all of the overwhelming thoughts and instead brings me back to the HERE and NOW. Another way I have found to assist myself when dealing with my anxiety is the use of aromatherapy. This can be utilized in many forms...oils, candles, incense, etc. Many find that lavender, sandalwood, and chamomile can be very calming. Aromatherapy is thought to help activate certain receptors in your brain, potentially easing anxiety. Guided meditation can also be a great way to assist with maintaining a calm mind. I like to combine it with the aromatherapy. I personally use lavender or nag champa incense. There are many different guided meditations available out there. There are mobile apps devoted to this. You can also find free guided meditations videos on YouTube. I utilize the mobile app, Relax Melodies, every night at bedtime to help quiet my mind before bed. I hope that these tips might help you with coping with your anxiety. There are many other options to tailor your own "battle" plan. I try every day to assert myself over my anxiety. Some days are better than others as with everything else in life. I wanted to share this to help explain to others who may not suffer what it can be like. I am so grateful that my family is loving and understanding and did not think twice when I took my leave of the reception festivities only hours into the celebration. However, I truly wish that they didn't have to be, that I didn't have to miss out on once in a lifetime moments. Maybe one day I will be able to face my anxiety better, but until that day...thank you for loving me and being patient with me. Thank you again for spending some of your day with me. These conversations are so important. I tried to update the look of the site and hope it is easy to navigate. I look forward to furthering our discourse in new and exciting platforms over the next few weeks. Feel free to sign up for updates to be the first one to know about our latest content, new sites and more. TTFN p.l.e. epiphany ~May you hear symphonies where there are only wind chimes. |