Dealing with anxiety is no cake walk, and it might make you question whether everything is actually worth it some days, but it doesn't have to be all bad. Generally those with anxiety, which is approximately 18% of the US population according to the National Institute of Mental Health, struggle to find the positives in a situation. However, I have found just how important it truly is to recognize these positives and further more focus on them rather than the negatives that will try to force their way into your mind. It's kind of funny to think that the reason you think so negatively might actually be a positive in your life, but I have found that this view makes handling anxiety and dealing with life in general so much easier.
For me, the biggest thing I have benefited from with my anxiety was finding my support system and people who thought like me. For those who don't have anxiety, it's hard for them to understand why you might be anxious and how strongly it affects your daily life. It is certainly not their fault and it does not mean they are a bad person, but it's hard for anyone to understand something they do not personally experience. However, there are some people who will go above and beyond to sympathize and figure out a way to help you when your anxiety is taking a toll on you. These are they people who you should focus on surround yourself with. They may not be able to completely understand but they do the best they can and love you through and through. However, I have also found it important to find others with anxiety and connect with them. While it's great to have friends like those mentioned above, it is a whole new kind of friendship when someone is able to emphasize with you. When I was first diagnosed with severe anxiety in tenth grade I was put into a group therapy with other people my age who also suffered from anxiety. It was such an amazing feeling to realize that I was not alone and to be surrounded by people who felt just like I did. My anxiety forced me to find people who were able to support me and love me in the way that I needed, and cut out the people in my life who made my anxiety worse, creating a healthy and happy support system for me.
Another thing that my anxiety has helped me with is pushing me to preform my best. I've heard people say that they always work best under pressure, and for me, that is so true. Whether it is school, work, or sports, I always did my best when I felt some sort of pressure to do good. For example, when I was in high school, I was a dancer, and had a recital every year. I knew I always performed my best at the recital, but it was our big night, and there was an audience full of people staring at me and expecting me to do well. In a way, my anxiety serves as a the constant pressure which makes me strive to do my best at all times. For me, anxiety has caused me to become a perfectionists and served as the driving force of all my endeavors. The anxiety about doing badly in any situation is what causes me to try that much harder to do well, and I have truly benefited from this, especially in school.
Anxiety also creates somewhat of a safety net around us. While taking risks is an important part of life, it can also be a dangerous. Sometimes, risks are better left alone, and the best thing is to remain in safety. For those with anxiety, taking risks is extra hard, and we constantly evaluate and reevaluate the pros and cons of any situation before jumping into something. Sometimes, our anxiety over a situation might be beneficial, saving us from an unnecessary risk that might harm us. Constantly analyzing the worth of a risk is what creates a safety net, but it also shows us when something is truly worth it because we so often will find a reason for it to not be.
Finally, anxiety has made me a better person. Because I know how hard it is to deal with, I have become much more patient and understanding to those around me. I have learned to watch my words because I know how much they might affect someone. I personally know how much a kind word or gesture will help me, so I often go out of my way to say or do something nice for others. I have found patience and love of others through my struggles, and for that I am grateful.
My personal favorite tattoo, which I have tattooed on my body, is "Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light." It is a beautiful quote from the Harry Potter series, but it is also incredibly true. While anxiety might take a huge toll on your life, it is important to realize that it will affect you negatively and positively, you simply have to search for those positives. At the end of the day, I didn't choose to have anxiety, but I am grateful for the fact that it has made me a stronger and better person. Find the positives of your negatives.
