Hello reader! For today, we'll be talking all about overcoming anxiety. For as long as I can remember, I've been battling with overcoming anxiety. I'm the type of person that can quite literally overthink anything, and that can be quite draining. I think the worst part about dealing with anxiety is feeling powerless over your own self. There've been a countless amount of times where I've felt like my racing thoughts were overtaking me. If you can relate in any way to what I'm saying, trust me I understand you.
I've realized in recent years that we actually have more power than we think over our minds. Taking control of the many lies and fears that our own brain tells us can feel daunting, but it's not impossible. Overcoming your anxious thoughts takes practice, but I'd like to share with you a few techniques that have been working for me.
One technique that helps me a lot is catching myself in the act. When I notice that I'm spiraling in my thoughts, I stop and take the time to acknowledge what I'm doing. Being aware of bad behaviors will always allow you to pause and be more intentional about your next moves.
Once I've realized that I'm allowing myself to overthink, I start sorting through the thoughts that are actually factual versus the thoughts that derive from fears or lies that I'm telling myself. At times, when it's your own thoughts that are working against you, it's hard to decipher what's real and what's not. However, by simply asking yourself what's actually based on facts, you'll be able to better sift out the bad.
The next step is to quite literally tell yourself the opposite of what your anxious thought told you. So if your brain tells you that you can't do something, tell yourself that you can. Take it a step further and even come up with an example of a time you did something well and reflect on that time instead of harping on your fear. Put more energy towards the positive thought instead of replaying the negative. Every time that little voice in your head tells you something negative, immediately combat it with positive. Over time, you'll notice that you'll begin to naturally form more of those positive thoughts.
My final piece of advice for overcoming anxiety is to challenge yourself to do the very thing that you're afraid of. Anxiety mostly stems from the fear of the unknown, so I say put yourself out there. You can't strengthen that confidence muscle until you try something new and continue to work on it. By putting yourself out there, you're training your mind to know that you are capable of doing the very thing that you once had doubts about. When you start it doesn't have to be perfect. The point is just to do it.
Overcoming anxiety is far from easy. It truly takes practice to reframe your thinking. Yet with time and patience, you'll make the necessary steps to becoming a more confident and clear headed person. It's natural to feel anxious from time to time. Our lives are constantly changing and so are we as people. The important thing to remember is that you have the ability to overcome anything, and our minds are definitely something that we have control over. Take your power back. Don't allow your thoughts and fears to run wild.
-Angel
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