Five Ways How I Overcame Anxiety!

Anxiety Tried It!

I mentioned in a previous post that at one point in my life, I had anxiety. In my mind that was a very dark time in my life. If you would have looked at my life from the outside in, you would have had no clue that I was suffering from anxiety which led to panic attacks. Life was good, during that time we were buying our house, husband was good, kids were good, but mama wasn’t good. The best way for me to describe how I felt, is that I always felt on edge, like I was dangling, or if something was just going to break down at any moment. I was also dealing with fragments of depression. My mind would race constantly, especially in the still of the night. I had no peace, felt like I was trapped, didn’t sleep good at all, and my relationship wit my husband and children were taking the brunt of it. Also at the time I was dealing with medical issues but the anxiety felt like it was at the forefront of it all.

Even though I went through this, I overcame it! I want to help someone else. I realize that this is a common issue with women. I did a poll on my Instagram stories and a good 91% admitted to suffering from anxiety, either now or in the past. I know what its like and want to take my experience and what helped me to help other women like you sis. So I have thought about the things that helped me and came up with five ways to help you overcome anxiety! Please note that these are just suggestions, everyone is different which will lead to different results!

Mindset Change!

How many of you know that your mind is powerful? Thoughts, dreams, ideas, and revolutions developed in your mind. When they say the mind is a terrible thing to waste they weren’t lying. Being that your mind is the brewing zone for thoughts its important to shift your mindset. When you’re dealing with anxiety, your mind has turned on the negative switch, You over think everything and come up with every possible thing that could go wrong.

Instead of this think positive. And I know you probably saying, girl its easier said then done! But, JUST DO IT! Switch up your words and instead of saying, “Oh something bad is going to happen!” say, “Something good is going to happen to me!” “God is working this situation out for me!” “I see the light at the end of the tunnel!” Speak things into existence, you have to realize that our words have power. One reason why its so important to watch out for the things you say. Which gives you more incentive to speak great things, speak good things over your life. When you start combating a negative thought with positive speaking you’re changing your mindset.

I have a challenge for you! Find positive affirmations and place them in your common areas. Bathroom mirror, car radio, desk, and etc. Start speaking those positive affirmations until you start believing it. Also at night download the Abide app. This will help you rest your mind at night. They have calming tones, and different bible stories that you can listen to. This especially helpful to me. It was like my anxiety got worse at night. So I would put on my headphones, listen to this app or my favorite worship music. You’ve got to shift your mindset and your atmosphere and you have the power to do that sis!

Pray! Don’t Worry!

Man listen, I use to worry about everything, to the point it would give me a headache. I noticed that my prayer life wasn’t as present as it should have been. Let me say this, PRAYER WORKS! I do believe that however you start your day off will set the tone for how your day is going to go. With that said, start your day off with prayer. Use this prayer time to connect with God, communicate with him, bond with him. Look up your favorite scriptures and pray the scriptures. Write these same scriptures down and post them up next to your affirmations. Every time you start to feel the anxiety bubbling up speak the scripture. Instead of worrying how everything is going to work out, pray and give it to God.

Here are three scriptures that helped me:

Joshua 1:9 “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whither-soever thou goest.” (KJV)

2 Timothy 1:7 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (KJV)

Ezekiel 16:6 “And when I passed by you and saw you struggling in your own blood, I said to you in your blood, Live! Yes, I said to you in your blood Live!” (NKJV)

Face Your Fears With Faith!

My faith is so important to me. It keeps me rooted and grounded. My faith reassures me that God is in control and that its nothing that God and can’t handle. A times I call this crazy faith, because people assume I’m just that for having so much faith in things that I can’t see. But that’s what faith is right? Believing in something that you can’t see at the moment but you know its going to happen. Have you asked yourself lately what are you scared of? Let me ask you! Sis what are you afraid of? What is that thing that’s holding you back from moving forward?

Do me a favor and write it down. Really take your time and think about this thing. I remember when I was dealing with anxiety my husband would ask me this question all the time. And at first I got defensive and I was like, “What you mean what I am afraid of?” So I got to thinking and at first I was like I don’t know. Then my doctor asked me the same question, but he said What’s on your mind? What do you see yourself thinking about all the time? Are you stressed? Stress!!! Stress!!! This can cause so much ya’ll and in order to shut it down we gotta get to the root of the problem. Sis what are you stressed about?

Write all your thoughts down. Write down your fears, things you are constantly thinking about or stressing over. When you write them down place yourself on the other side. See things being resolved. The things you can change do it. The other things give it to God. Face these Fears with Faith! That’s all it is, its just things sis. Face your fears on that paper with Faith by declaring that they will no longer have dominion over you. Take back your Power and Authority!!! After you have did this, rip the paper and throw it away, and move on! The key to this to move on don’t dwell in it!

Get Help! Talk To Someone!

Don’t be afraid to talk to someone you trust and that will have your best interest at heart. Everyone will not understand what you are going through! Go back and read it again! But someone will, so find that someone, whether its your husband, family member, close friend, or even your doctor. At first I was afraid to talk to my husband because, I felt like he wouldn’t understand me. Well at first he didn’t but I opened up to him and was really honest about what I was feeling, my thoughts, and especially when I started having panic attacks. Let me tell you, those are not fun. They feel like you are about to die, you can’t breath, your heart is racing, and it feels like it will never end. I had one while I was driving and forgot how to get home one night from work. But God! He got me through!!!

I also went to the doctor and he had placed me on medication (Ativan). Medication isn’t for everyone and I am not encouraging you to medicate for everything. But when you need help, you need help! Sis I needed the help, because it got so bad that It was impacting my work. I eventually got off the medication because it really made me cool as a cucumber and to me it altered my attitude. Let my husband tell it, I was spaced out. But hey do what you need to do sis!

Live Your Life! Don’t Miss Out!

For me anxiety was the fear of the unknown. I was so afraid of what hadn’t happened yet and was moving so fast trying to handle everything on my own. I wasn’t enjoying the moments, the memories that were made during that time. I wasn’t present mentally with my kids or my husband, and I started distancing myself. I didn’t realize I was really missing out on so much. Everything was like a blur and I didn’t remember what had happened the previous days.

Stop! smell the roses. Enjoy each moment with your children, with your husband. Take each moment in and allow your mind to rest for a bit without always being on the go. Smile more and let it be a genuine smile, thank God for your life. You’re living and breathing enjoy be grateful and seize every moment sis!

I hope something I said encouraged you, inspired you and gave you hope!

Blessings,

Tamron