Earlier this week I ran a poll with 50 women asking what their biggest struggle was between, body image, singleness, and anxiety.
When the results came rolling in, it was clear that anxiety came in first place with flying colors. My first instinct was to ask each girl individually, "well what is happening in your life?" or "is this anxiety caused by school, work, or family?"
However, once I gave it some more thought I remembered that anxiety does not always have a direct cause.
The first time I ever addressed the fact that I had been overly anxious I heard many responses such as, "well, it is because you just started school" or "well, you do have a lot going on" or "well you just worry too much."
I just wanted to address this because I know how common it is that we get this response when we decide to open up about what has been happening in our minds. When I listened to all of these reasons that others were giving me that I was anxious, I felt a little lost and thought that I was causing my own anxiety.
"Was this person right?"
"Am I being dramatic?"
"Well, I will just avoid discussing this for a while then, it is me."
That was my thought process and I am sure I am not the only one who has experienced that.
Anxiety can be a constant battle. It can feel like there is no end to the panic attack, or like there will never come a day when you can sleep through the entire night.
While some things may increase anxiety levels, anxiety itself is not always necessarily caused by one life event.
If you are reading this and you feel anxious, know that this does not mean that it is your fault. Know that you are not "crazy" for feeling how you feel. You do not need to make a list of excuses to shove the anxiety down lower and lower until it becomes too much to bare.
When you are in your low places, know that there are people out there who CAN relate to what you may be feeling. More than half of the 50 girls who answered the question about their struggles, selected anxiety. Not all of these women are single. Not all of these women are in college. Not all of these women are currently going through a major life change.
These people are real and all experiencing different seasons of life.
Each of us could have completely different levels of anxiety, or different strategies of coping with anxiety, but at the end of the day, each of us are human beings who experience pain and suffering here on this Earth.
In the thick of anxious moments, it could be incredibly difficult to think that anyone could possibly relate to what you have been feeling. It may even seem like there is "no light at the end of the tunnel." As cliché as it sounds, there is.
WE have the ability to lift one another up when someone around us is experiencing anxiety, nerves, suffering, pain, depression, loneliness or busy-ness.
Be the light at the end of the tunnel for someone else. Let them know that they are not alone. We do not need to ask a ton of questions but rather say "me too" when someone experiences a similar challenge to our own.
