You wake up

You check your phone

Social Media and the news report another outbreak

Your heart starts to race

Your chest tightens

Your breathing quickens

You put the phone down

Your day has started off with fear 

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I struggle with anxiety.  Me and Anxiety, let’s call her Anxy for short, are old time pals.  We have travelled together, been scared together, have gone through hard times and great times.  Anxy is very loyal.  She is always looking for ways to help me make decisions, and tries to keep me from doing anything new.  If I let her she will keep me curled up in a little ball in the corner of the room.

This pandemic is scary.  It is new.  It is something none of us has ever experienced.  We are stuck in our homes, and after a while the walls begin to feel like they are closing in.  We aren’t in  control of the decisions that are being made.  Not being in control will often give Anxy a foothold in my life.  

I love control.  I love knowing what is going to happen and how it will happen.  This situation is less than ideal.  But living with Anxy for this long I have learned how not to let her run my thought patterns, and ultimately, my life.  Here are 5 ways I have learned to overcome Anxy:

1.   I find comfort in God’s word.

In Philippians 4:6 is says “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”  This verse has been a cornerstone in my life the last couple of weeks.  Do not be anxious about anything.  Give it all to God.  It is pretty amazing how when you say what you are feeling out loud, or write it down, it takes the power of that thing away.  Every time I hold onto these thoughts and feelings they weigh me down.  When I get them out of my head I feel free again.  God can see us through this.  His word speaks to me every day, and I feel a sense of calm because of it.

2.   I start my day off being thankful

At the end of January I decided that I wanted to be a less negative person.  I wanted to concentrate on the positive things in my life.  I wanted to know that every day something good happened no matter how small that something may have been.  My wife introduced me to something called “The Five Minute Journal”.  It’s an app that was low cost and low time to use.  So each morning after I read my devotional I write in my journal app.  The simple practice of writing down 3 things that I am grateful for each day has changed my outlook and has helped to lower my anxious feelings.  

3.   I have learned how to breathe.

Believe it or not, I didn’t know how to breathe.  I just thought that since my body does it on its own that I was covered.  Wrong.  I often forgot to actually slow down and allow my lungs a chance to “refuel”.  I learned through my time in counseling that the best way to beat my anxiety was to take time to slow down, concentrate on my breathing, and clear my mind.  So that is what I do.  When I feel anxious I stop – take a deep breath – hold it for 5 seconds – release all the air in my lungs slowly – and repeat up to five times.  This has done wonders for me, especially this past week.

4.   I get up and move.

I get up and move.  I walk up and down the stairs.  I go outside when the weather is nice and go for a nice long walk.  I exercise at least 10 minutes each day.  I also find new ways to challenge myself each month with things like pushups, ab exercises, and pull ups.  I find that the more active I am the less anxious I become.  And a huge bonus is that when I am active I tend to process my emotions and thoughts a lot better.

5.   I drink plenty of water.

And finally, I drink plenty of water.  Now don’t get me wrong, I love my coffee.  I will drink lattes every single day.  There is nothing wrong with other beverages, but moderation is always best.  The more caffeine I have the more jittery and anxious I begin to feel.  I have found that drinking at least 4 glasses of water every day has greatly reduced my anxious feelings, and greatly increased my energy levels(take that energy drinks – who knew?!).  

These five small practices have changed my life, and have helped me through this uncertain and fear-filled time.  I pray they can be of assistance to you as we wade through this day by day.  And that you can begin your day feeling refreshed instead of Anxious.

You wake up

You leave your phone where it is

Social Media and the news can wait

You thank God for all you have

You breathe in fresh air

You slowly get out of bed and stretch

You grab a fresh cup of coffee

You greet your family

You’re ready for a new day

-Ethan