Your Anxiety Does Not Define You

You have stress in your life that you cannot control.

Don’t worry too much about the unavoidable, external stressors in your life. God always uses those for your benefit eventually. You don’t need to feel shame because you experience anxiety. Where you choose to focus your energies, though–you do have some power there. Find that balance between ignoring your anxiety and obsessing over it.

Daniel Swanson Photography

Daniel Swanson Photography

Find that balance between ignoring your anxiety and obsessing over it.

Observing Stress

You’re stressed out right now. You don’t need to pretend everything’s fine when it’s not. It’s OK to face reality and admit that you’re not handling life very well currently. Maybe you feel silly about your anxiety because your life seems easier than someone else’s. Anxiety shouldn’t be a competition. We can all deal with our own versions of stress.

Notice how your body reacts to stress, talk openly about your emotions with people who love you, and problem-solve to alleviate some of the physical strain. Take a bath with Epsom salts. Go for a walk. Practice deep breathing. Try melatonin to help you fall asleep at night. Ask for help from coworkers to carry the workload and relieve your burden.

Relinquishing Stress

Once you have acknowledged your stress levels and taken small steps to deal with your anxiety, turn your eyes away from yourself. Find distractions. Count your blessings. Listen to someone else’s troubles for a few minutes. Don’t allow intentionality to become  an unhealthy self focus. Self-pity will kill your spirit and ruin your day. It won’t help.

Just the other day, I allowed my stress at work to turn my focus inward, and consequently, I snapped at my husband. My anxiety made me selfish because I allowed it to define my workday. Instead, I could have chosen to focus on my car that works, my supportive coworkers, my cute kitties, my healthy body, or any other lavish gift of God.

Daniel Swanson Photography

Daniel Swanson Photography

Self-pity will kill your spirit and ruin your day.

You choose whether or not your stress defines you.

You don’t choose to get a migraine, complete with flickering vision, in the middle of a staff meeting. You don’t choose to lie in bed, staring at the ceiling, for hours at night. You do choose where to point your eyeballs. You can stare at your stress … or at anything else. Go ahead and cry at your desk. Let it all out. Then pour a cup of tea and laugh instead.

You decide what kind of person you want to be, regardless of your stress levels.

Love,

The Reluctant Bride