Anxiety overall is just sometimes the worse thing. It causes your heart to race, your hands to sweat, and an annoying upset stomach feeling that won't seem to go away. It ultimately feels like it begins to take over your life. It honestly is becoming harder and harder to remember a time where anxiety didn't seem to be involved in my day to day life. I don't seem to remember life without anxiety...and honestly it kinda bugs me just a bit. I sometimes wonder what if anxiety wasn't a thing...what if my heart didn't race, my hands sweat, and my stomach hurt... who would I be?
However, although anxiety seems to take over there are ways around it. There are ways to eliminate the issue for a while or at least lessen the struggle. And what works for me...might not be the solution for you. I have found a few things that honestly seem to lessen my struggle.
Lavender Oil
The smell helps me relax. It helps calm me down and lower my heart rate to where I don't feel like my heart will explode from my chest. It isn't hard to find things that have Lavender in them. It seems that Lavender is becoming more well known for its relaxing purposes and it is in so many different products. It can be found in bath bombs, shampoos, soaps, lotions, pillow mists, tea...literally just about everything. I use shampoo with it. I have an actual oil that I use to rub on my wrists, or back of my neck I have diffused it. And I have drank Lavender tea.
Reading my Bible
Grabbing my bible and reading verses helps remind me that I have no reason to even be anxious. And the more I read the more relaxed I slowly begin to feel. There are many verses sprinkled throughout the bible dealing with anxiety and anxiousness but I have only included a few in this. I challenge you to grab a bible and look for some others.
Matthew 6:34
"Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."
1 Peter 5:7
"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."
Philippians 4:6
"Do not be anxious about anything but in everything with prayer and supplication make your requests known to God."
Asking for help
Asking for help was my biggest struggle I think but now that I did it I feel so much relief. Asking someone for help has honestly taught me so much. It has taught me it's okay to admit you are struggling. It has taught me that just because I bring it to someones attention that doesn't make me any weaker. It also has allowed me to see things differently. It has provided me with different techniques and suggestions for me to use in a situation where anxiety returns.
Prayer
Should be the first thing I do. It isn't always but it needs to be. It allows me to trust God. It often almost eliminates the anxiety immediately for me. It reminds me that I'm cared for, and I honestly have no reason to be anxious about anything. It stops my heart from beating out of my chest and comforts my breathing.
Although anxiety sometimes can be the worse... it's taught me important lessons along the way. It is a part of who I am...and I wouldn't want it any other way.
