Anxiety, a state of excessive uneasiness when an outcome is uncertain and the mind take endless possibilities and runs with them. This nervous disorder affects millions of people every day and most of them feel as if they are the only one in this giant world panicking about an imminent event. If you feel like you're being controlled by your anxiety, I have a few tips.
When that unbearable moment overcomes you and you feel as if your heart ceases to follow its normal rhythm, be mindful of the moment you are in and try not to worry about what's next. Close your eyes and find your breath. Let your chest relax, drop your hands from your face and breath.
Put two fingers over your pulse on your wrist. Feel the blood flowing through every one of your veins, doing what it does best. Picture every nerve in your body working together nonstop to keep your head up. Wiggle your toes and your fingers, think about how one thought sent millions of tiny reactions to obey your command. Understand that your body works 24/7 to keep you going, don't give up on it.
Notice that your breath has slowed down and open your eyes and look around you, I mean really look. What's there? Think about it, I mean why is it there? Because you put it there, you like it there, it's yours and it's there for you. Even if it's a lamp, it's there every day, cherish that. Every little thing you see around you is there for you.
Now I need you to think big picture. Every morning you open your eyes and see light and hear birds outside. That's there for you. The ground beneath your feet to hold you up, the trees outside to provide you with air. That's there for you. Everything put on this planet is here for you, appreciate it.
After you realize that you have something constant in your life, grab something close to you that's soft or squishy. Squeeze it, pull it close to your chest. Feel it, the texture, how it feels against your skin, the impact your hands are making in it. Just feel. Feel something other than the chaos surrounding you. Even if it's a pillow.
Then finally realize why you are in this place of panic. What happened, what got you there? Tell yourself that it's out of your control and repeat that truth until you believe it. Stop trying so hard to hold onto something that's already out of your grasp, trying to grab a rope that's no longer secure will just whip you away and leave you with a scar.
Anxiety doesn't control you, you control it. Practice awareness, mindfulness, and live without fear of what could happen next; that's the fun part about this crazy thing we call life. And realize we're all in this together, you don't have to walk alone anymore.
