My mother came into my room and handed me a book.

"Anxiety Happens: 52 Ways to Find Peace of Mind"

I looked at her with thankful eyes and stared at the book. My mom is completely aware of the anxiety I face daily, and for the longest time, it has become part of me.

And that's sad. No one should have to go through their days with feelings of worry, fear, uncertainty, and restraint in almost every move they make. One of my biggest issues is uncertainty and indecisiveness.

Part of the issue could be because I'm a Libra, and as a Libra, balance is key. But my issue is I try so damn hard to be perfect that it gives me anxiety.

In some ways, as John P. Forsyth and Georg H. Eifert wrote, anxiety can be a good thing. It can help us to achieve our goals and make something of ourselves. They even mention that everyone experiences feelings of anxiousness. It's normal.

What's not normal, contrary to my previous beliefs, is crippling anxiety. The anxiety that holds you back from achieving your goals and doing little things throughout your day.

I am not even a quarter of the way through this book. And I'm not making myself crazy about getting through the book and implementing the tips I learn in my everyday routines. I want to slowly make these little tactics into habits.

The first thing the authors suggest is the most confusing thing ever (to me):

"LIVE Your Life"

Ok? Well isn't that what I'm doing? When I realized "LIVE" is an acronym, it was clear I am absolutely not living my life.

L- Letting Go. I tend to be someone who holds onto things. Arguments, pictures, relationships. You name it, I cannot let it go.

I- Inviting. Instead of pushing away anxious feelings, invite those feelings in, but in a positive manner.

V- Valuing. Decide what it is you truly live for and value. Base your choices around it.

E- Engaging. Doing something (physical) with your mouth, hands, and feet. It sounds so strange, but it's one thing to want something and another to actually pursue it. Don't let anxiety get in the way of that.

Overrall, I really recommend the book so far. I'm no expert but it definitely has some interesting and helpful mechanisms to make living your life a lot easier.