Anxiety is a strange phenomenon that just recently reared its ugly head into my being. No specific event or encounter triggered it. There was no change in my daily living routine that it could have been a product of. It just sort of happened, and it happened without warning.

It was the kind of feeling that you can't accurately transmit into words in its entirety.

I guess it could best be explained as the mind becoming suspended of bearing its own thoughts. When anxiety deceitfully snakes its way into your head, it seizes all control of the things you think, and feel, and believe. It will convince you that you're unworthy, and force you into notions that persuade you that you're incapable. You won't exactly want to reach out to friends or family amid a raid of anxiety, because you fear that they will assume that you're crazy or irrational or being too emotional. You will conclude that you're a burden and you will honestly anticipate that you're alone.

You will question your capability and your worth, and ultimately, just yourself.

As these fits of anxiety have undoubtedly become a common occurrence for me lately, I have had the opportunity to conclude a few essential factors relating to the feelings that are stemmed from an attack. The most important of these realizations is this: anxiety is the thief of joy.

That's the twisted and unfair purpose of this restlessness. Anxiety steals your joy and hides it away until you've had your justified breakdown.

It fills your head with thoughts and ideas that are too sturdy to shake. They are powerful and they are convincing. They trap you inside of their stronghold and force you to adhere to the negativity that they generate. And while seemingly unbreakable, that's when I had another essential realization: anxiety is built on lies.

During a surge of anxiety, it is difficult to convince yourself of anything other than what your head is telling you, and I get that. It's hard to hear what you need to understand in order to rid of anxiety's grip on you, and that's reasonable, so here- I'll remind you:

You're not crazy. Stop telling yourself that. Stop believing it. Stop thinking that you're being ridiculous. You're not.

You have massive goals for yourself, and that's awesome, but what's better is knowing that you can reach them. I'm not just saying that to make you feel better, I promise. You are hard working and smarter than you think. You are being fed ideas telling you that you are incapable from the one who wants to see you fall; don't accept them. You are brave. Keep going.

You are not a burden. No one is upset with you. You are loved and valued and appreciated. You are a major piece within the lives of everyone around you, and that's because it is wanted that way. You are wanted.

You are full of joy. Don't let anything take that away from you.

You don't have to try and prove yourself to anyone. You are so good.

Don't let anxiety live your life. You are so much better than that.