My life is a constant war between me and myself. And I’m sure I’m not alone, but I don’t let my anxiety define me. Nobody should let a disorder define who he or she is.

This is how I face my anxiety head on every day:

1. I get out of bed and go to school/work

With anxiety, every day is a challenge. Waking up and deciding to get out of bed is the first step. I never know what is going to happen or whom I will encounter throughout the day, but I push through those fears and face the day anyway. Most days end up being pretty easy, but there are some that I really struggle with. I work with the public and anything they say or do can set me off. On the bad days I have to remind myself to take deep breaths, walk away from the situation, and remain calm.

2. I talk to people

Most people that know me would say that I’m shy and don’t talk much, and they would be right. So every day I try to talk to someone out of the regular. I have those I speak with every day or just about every day, but talking to someone new every now and then helps me meet new people. And afterwards I realize it wasn’t that big of a deal. Until the time comes to speak to someone new and I panic all over again. Even though it is a continuous thing, the point here is that I work my way through it.

3. I try new things

If you think about it, just about everyone fears trying new things, or at least specific new things. But for me it’s more than fear. I have a regular schedule that I like to be planned. I like to know where I will be and when so that I'm not constantly worrying about it. But trying new things brings me away from that schedule and helps me face change. Yes, I struggle with the newness of it at first, but then I accept it.

Now these three things may not seem like much to some people, but to those with anxiety they mean everything. I’ll be honest, I didn’t realize how much they meant to me either, until I didn’t live at home. Living at home I always had my family or my best friend to talk me through these things, but being on my own in a new place requires that I face it head on, by myself.

Every day is a challenge, but I try new things and don’t let myself fear life.

Anxiety is a real thing and it is not easy. I live with it day to day and even though I conquer it one day does not mean that I will the next. Like I said before, every day is a challenge, and we have to work our way through life one day at a time. And even though I like my days planned out does not mean that I know how I will feel on Tuesday next week. So every day I remind myself of these three things, and pray that it will all go well.