I found myself living in a constant state of anxiousness, after one of the most amazing years of my life. Anxiety crept in unexpectedly and slowly began taking over every aspect of my life, until I no longer felt like myself.
Anxiety hurts and you feel easily overwhelmed, irritable, hopeless, lonely and misunderstood. It caused me excessive worry, sadness, insomnia, isolation and even a fear of death.
For months, anxiety robbed me of Joy.
The more I tried to control everything due to these overwhelming feelings, the more anxious I felt. I thought if I could try to control everything it would help me, but it only made me feel worse. Control was the reason why I was stuck in this constant state of anxiousness.
I’ve always been an anxious person. Growing up, I was sensitive, a bit of a people pleaser, and had a fear of not being good enough, being judged, and liked by others. My lack of confidence and feeling of unworthiness, led to an increase in anxiety and striving for perfection.
Perfection, Dieting, Controlling, Over-Exercising, Isolation, Restriction – this became my life.
There came a point where I just couldn’t do it anymore and I decided I needed to pull myself out of the dark hole I was in. I made the CHOICE to get out of bed even if I didn’t want to, knowing that I deserved to live a happier, more fulfilling and abundant life, free from anxiety, depression, fear, self-doubt, and self-loathing.
I began shifting my thinking from how things could go wrong, to what if things go right?
I sought out peace everyday and created daily practices that helped me align with my VISION of who I wanted to be and how I wanted to feel.
Gratitude, Yoga, Meditation, Mantras, Being in Nature, Praying, Breathing, Writing, hiring a Life Coach – this became my new life.
These practices all contributed to the great shift in my being, but what really made the most lasting impact, was the belief and understanding that I was in CONTROL. I could change the course of my life, instead of giving so much power to Anxiety, thinking that “this is just who I am” and “this is just how it’s going to be.”
I have the Power. ME, Myself, and I.
Today, I wake up feeling a sense of peace in my body I have never felt.
Am I still sensitive? Am I still an empath? Do I still feel anxious? Sure, but it doesn’t have the power it once did. I acknowledge my thoughts and feelings, but I don’t dwell on them or let them rule my day. I know there is no need to worry, because it is only robbing me of today’s peace. I choose to laugh, listen to my intuition, and do things that bring me joy and a sense of calm. I choose to be who I was born to be.
It is my birth-right to be happy, live abundantly and enjoy every waking moment on this Earth.
Anxiety will not break me ever again.
“I surrender to what is, let go of what was, and have faith in what will be.” – Sonia Ricotte
XO Peace and Love, Stephanie
I relate to this so much!