I struggle with anxiety and OCD-like tendencies. Some days are worse than others. Some days I worry about the littlest things, the ones that other people normally don't think twice about. Oh, I couldn't find the book a patron is looking for, I worry. Oh, I have so much to do, I worry I won't be able to get it all done. Oh, my sister is driving back to college, I worry until I get a text that she made it back OK. Oh, a friend is hurting, I worry I won't say the right thing to help with comforting her. When something doesn't go according to plan, I worry what went wrong and why I didn't catch it.
Worrying is exhausting. Worrying is paralyzing. Worrying is panic attack inducing. Did I really lock my door? Not sure, so I better check for the fourth time. Do I really have everything or am I forgetting something? Double check to confirm that, yes, I do have everything. What I've learned is that is not me talking or thinking. It's actually my anxiety talking and taking control of my life. And while some worrying and stress is necessary to keep you motivated, but there comes a point when the worrying and stress and anxiety takes over your life and you may or may not have even realized it.
We need to take back our minds. We need to tell anxiety, "I acknowledge and understand your thoughts, but here's what we are actually going to do." We shouldn't suppress it or ignore it, because, one way or another, anxiety will find come back with vengeance. Is this easy? Hell no. I'm trying and trying and some days I succumb to what my anxiety tells me. Those days are harder to get through. What helps? It's actually more of a who rather than a what. Your friends and family, the people who see you for the real you, who know when you're struggling against your anxiety and tell you, "You are enough," "You are winning," and "You are not a failure." Those people who inspire you to want to slowly learn how to acknowledge and understand what your anxiety is telling you but ignoring it and go with your gut. It's those people who are your own personal cheering squad who help you the most.
Time. Overcoming anxiety takes time, and by overcoming, I mean finding a balance between knowing when to listen to what your anxiety is telling you and when to tell your anxiety to go where the sun don't shine.
