Anxiety is a beast not easily overcome. Like many others, I've struggled most of my life with this disorder. At times it can be crippling. I will sit staring at a wall for hours trapped in thought. I'll imagine up the worst-case scenario, which oftentimes doesn't come to pass. I become so anxious over these made-up scenarios that it's hindered my desire to even want to put myself out there and seek out new opportunities. This has affected my life when pursuing new jobs, forming new relationships, and picking up new hobbies.

One of the things I find I am most anxious about is how others perceive me; The judgment of others often weighs heavy on my mind. With that being said, it's important to remember that we do are mind readers. We can't begin to assume what others are thinking, and why should we invest so much time in trying to figure it out when we should be more concerned with how we think and feel about ourselves.

Last summer, I was in a 4-year relationship that ended abruptly and my emotions were running at an all-time high. It felt like my world flipped upside-down and I had no idea what I was going to do; For the first time in my 22 years on this Earth, I was on my own. I only had myself to rely on and now had to foot the bill for everything on my own. It was terrifying, yet empowering. This was an opportunity to rediscover who I was and the things that brought me joy. Small changes put me in the headspace I needed to accomplish my goals.

As I've gotten older, I've begun to learn tactics to help me cope when I'm feeling anxious. For starters, consistency is key. What I mean by this is you need to pinpoint things that make you happy and bring you joy in this life, the things that put you in a positive headspace. You then need to make time for those things in your daily routine. It can be something small such as going for a 30-minute walk on a sunny day, or it can be something bigger and more daring.
Reading soothes me and exercises first thing in the morning energizes me. If I don't take a little time to at least get some form of physical activity in a day, I am not myself and have found that I am much more inclined to digress to a depressive mental state and have regretful thoughts.
I know how much happier and less anxious I am when I establish a routine and do these things, so why wasn't I consistently doing them this entire time? Our emotions are powerful and they are what make us human, but we have to be able to harness those emotions and allow them to drive us to be better rather than drag us down.
I am a strong believer that good things come to those who manifest them. If you believe in yourself and believe in the power of the goals you have set for yourself, then you set yourself up to be an unstoppable force. It's much easier said than done to look at the positive side of things, but it's important to never let yourself feel discouraged for long. Be relentless in the journey to better yourself and always crave more. Anxiety is a speed bump but it's not a raised drawbridge you can't cross. You will overcome and there will be far more road left to travel.