We’ve all been there. Whether you’re the person who stresses for ages over a simple assignment, plans a meticulous daily itinerary, or reads a text over and over with different interpretations each time, the struggle is real. Having gone through the stages of inner panic and exterior hyperventilation, the situation often winds up with a frenzied settlement on a final decision. I am guilty of being an avid overthinker myself. However, after being thrown for one too many loops, I’ve found some ways to cope with my closeted apprehension that might help out my fellow worriers.
Let it all out.
If that means taking one, two, or three deep breaths, do it. If that means bawling your eyes out, do it. If that means taking out that trusty family size bag of chips, tub of ice cream, or other junk food of choice, by all means - do it. (The tub of ice cream is my personal favorite.) Basically, do what you need to do to calm yourself down; a frantic state of mind isn’t going to get you anywhere. Taking a step back will allow for level headed assessment of the source of worry so it can be broken down and resolved.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Asking questions does not hurt. The fear of coming off as incompetent is a reasonable one, but more often than not, is scarier in theory than in real life. Almost everyone has felt overwhelmed by their seemingly insurmountable mountain of tasks. You can bet that a fair number of people have been in the same position and would be more than willing to help you. I have found that needing assistance is not synonymous with being incapable. Not being able to do something at all is far different from not being able to do it alone. There’s nothing wrong with needing a helping hand every so often; eventually, you’ll be the one extending it.
Pat yourself on the back once in awhile.
It’s easy to pay attention to everything that has gone wrong or speculate about worst case scenarios, but self-acknowledgement is important. You have put in work - x6 for Rihanna - to get where you are and that deserves to be recognized, not just to make yourself feel better, but to instill confidence. If you could do it then, you can do it now.
Just do.
Mistakes are inevitable, so trying to get it perfect the first time is ultimately a setup for failure. Slowly, I am training myself to roll with the punches. Regardless of how much thought is put into planning, reality has proven to be uncompromising 99% of the time. There is no point in counting on that 1% to get you through, because the truth is, it won’t. Tripping up a couple times is not a big deal because you have thought about it so much that you're probably already prepared for whatever life throws at you.
Admittedly, the aforementioned are tips easier said than done, but keep them in mind when that next wave of panic approaches; it might save you some sleepless nights or perhaps some fingernails. Throwing caution to the wind might be a bit much for us worry-warts, but we could definitely stand to lose a worry or two.
