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how I thrive when life is too much overcoming crippling anxiety one day at a time (a gentle story)
I am still working on managing anxiety that started at a very young age due to series of challenging events, but I have greatly improved since finding myself at a particular low point where I was not able to follow my normal daily routines, and felt like my world was getting smaller and smaller. Sometimes I would not be able to stop shaking for hours, and it was exhausting and scary. I started to despair, and I mean that is the fullest sense of the word. That is not a safe place to be, and I wish I had taken preventative measures and sought support far before I needed to. I now, slowly but steadily, have continued to flourish despite this and while I could not possibly incorporate all the detailed methods I use in one short video, I hope this can simply be encouragement not advice on your own journey.
Here are several resources or practices that I found extremely helpful:
Firstly, that spending time in the company of your own thoughts can be upsetting at first, especially when we are afraid or avoidant, but over time this quiet place can transform into a haven. At least, it did for me, and perhaps it is worth trying to spend a little time each day in this way and see if it helps.
my favorite talk on anxiety    • How to stop feeling anxious about anx...  
accepting that we all have limitations on our time. I myself am often consumed with work and family. What ‘slowing down’ means is different for everyone. It’s all about working within our limitations ❤
Overcoming Panic Attacks:    • Overcoming Panic Attacks with Psychol...  
The Highly Sensitive Person: https://amzn.to/3Wd5lUA
Being Peace by Thich Nhat Han (even if you don’t share the writers religion, I think it can still be extremely beneficial to read his mindfulness advice): https://amzn.to/3w5EzD4
Journaling each day/art therapy if you are so inclined
Researching how the brain is able to rebuild and rewire itself, realizing that anxiety can be managed and brought back to appropriate levels through patience and consistency. You can do things to help, and you are not without power.
Acceptance that any healing journey will take an unknown amount of time, and you cannot rush this process.
of course, seeking medical support and therapy if you are able!
Building a spiritual practice, or at least a relaxation routine if you are not a spiritual person.
Remembering that news outlets and social media work on an algorithm that is designed to respond to audience interaction, this explains why highly controversial and upsetting content often is at the forefront, when more positive and/or less bias news can easily go unnoticed. I find it very important to balance difficult information with hopeful and positive coverage of amazing things happening in our world. It takes a bit of extra research to find this information, but so beneficial to me. Simply look up positive news stories on the environment, community projects, etc.
lastly, I cannot stress enough how important it is to tackle unhealthy levels of anxiety ASAP. Take it from someone who ignored it for years and made constant excuses to avoid it. It will not go away, and it can greatly damage your health until you begin to treat it. At least, it did for me and this video is my attempt to help others be proactive and practice selfcare before crisis

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