I’ve struggled with anxiety for many years. Throughout that struggle, I’ve found that it can be difficult to believe in myself. It’s hard to not focus on our fears when we’re in a situation that makes us a bit uncomfortable.
I know I have the ability to get through my anxiety. I know I’ve made a lot of progress. However, I still have a long way to go and the anxiety still sneaks up on me. Sometimes it’s easier to get through and sometimes, it’s utterly overwhelming.
Yesterday, I was faced with a situation. Normally in this situation, I would be okay and trust that I would get through it. However, on the way to my destination, I began to obsess about what was bothering me. By the time I arrived, I was in panic mode.
I had to be strong and I knew it was up to me to take the reins instead of letting my anxiety take over. It was not easy. I had a phone on me, some music, and a pen and paper. I used those tools to my advantage.
I focused on the music. I wrote. I distracted myself from focusing on something that I hate and something destructive in order to, instead, concentrate on something that motivates and inspires me. I didn’t let anxiety take over. I showed it who’s boss. I sung, danced, and wrote my heart out. I replaced fear with the thingsI hold dear.
You know what? I didn’t need to use that phone to make a call. Instead, I calmed myself down and it felt amazing. I was able to enjoy the rest of my night in peace.
We need to remember that we are all capable of getting through our anxiety and accomplishing our goals. We are so much stronger than we sometimes give ourselves credit for. If I needed to make a phone call for help, that wouldn’t have made me weak, but I didn’t want to have to resort to that. In the end, I was able to overcome my anxiety on my own. It was so empowering. We are all capable of this. No matter how difficult or impossible it may sometimes seem.
I want everyone reading this to please believe in yourself. I know that sometimes it can be hard to believe you can overcome your fears or other obstacles. Sometimes we see ourselves struggling for so long that the idea of breaking free of those struggles seems hard to fathom. What we have to remember though, is that with hard work on a consistent basis, we can break free of what holds us back.
