Not Having Stress Causes Me Stress

If anyone else has frequent feelings of anxiousness, surely you must know this feeling. The other day I was sitting in my apartment and realized I didn't have anything on my to-do list for a few days. My heart started beating quickly, and my mind began to race. This "limbo" state that I was stuck in created so much stress for me all of the sudden. I could not simply "be in the moment."

Work and school already allow for a decent amount of stress, so why was this little break causing so much more stress? Being idle suddenly felt like the most dreaded thing I had experienced in a while, and that greatly puzzled me. I no longer could use various activities to distract myself from simply just "being."

Why does just being feel so foreign and scary? Perhaps it's because it forces us to spend quality time with just ourselves, and, in doing so, we truly get to know different aspects of ourselves. When we're exposed to purely our own thoughts and feelings, sometimes it can be an unpleasant experience. One may realize how sad they feel about a past memory, or even anger when reliving a past feud.

Having recently begun taking yoga classes (yes, I realize I fit the stereotypical female millennial mold,) I've come to realize that learning to live in the moment allows for raw happiness. When feeling overwhelmed about not knowing what to do next, it is so helpful to stop, take a deep breath, and notice your body in your surroundings. Looking outside and noticing each color in the sky or taking note of the contrast of the way tree branches look against a calm blue sky is almost meditative.

Sometimes it is important to acknowledge negative thoughts or feelings that come to our minds, but dwelling on them only brings unnecessary anxiety. Being able to take deep breaths, and take notice of each moment we exist in, allows for an abundance of much-needed peace.

All of this sounds ridiculously hippie-ish, but trust me, it helps to give much-needed peace of mind when the lack of stress just seems altogether too stressful.