Breathe: A Message for Those Battling Anxiety
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The life of an entrepreneur is stressful. The life of a mompreneur is stressful. Heck, life in general can be stressful. I had no intention of writing an article this morning. Anxiety peaked as soon as my feet hit the floor and almost immediately I felt tightness in my throat and an inability to breathe.
Do you know the feeling?
Breathe.
I may shock some with this article considering the tagline for this side of my business is “Positive Productivity.” I do believe in positive thinking. Abundant thought and the act of thinking positive have gotten me through MANY trials and tribulations. But when you work at home, often by yourself, loneliness and stress can begin to sink in. Seclusion from the outside world can feel paralyzing, and anxiety starts to build.
Before I go any further I want to say that I have an awesome support network. I have incredible friends and acquaintances I speak to on a regular basis – including my husband – who celebrate breakthroughs with me and act as a sounding board when I have yet another new idea. They are amazing when I am having a rough day, and I love them dearly. But sometimes the absence of an actual water cooler can make it feel as though I’m being suffocated.
Breathe.
I’ve realized lately that working 20 hours a day and sleeping 4 hours is not a healthy decision. The body needs sleep and time to recuperate. Whether you’re sitting at a desk all day, standing at a counter working retail, or are a physical laborer, each type of worker experiences their own form of exhaustion. My physical labor is limited to lifting toddlers however my mental fatigue is enormous by the end of the day, and my brain as well as my body need a chance to heal. The same goes for you.
You need to give your mind and body the chance to breathe.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
When faced with a big challenge, my anxiety usually under control. It’s the little challenges that take my breath away.
How am I going to get to the store to get dinner before I pick up the littles or with the littles with me?
There’s no chance in hell I’m going to get tasks A, B, C, D and E done by my call in an hour.
What do I do about a former client who has tells lies about me?
How do I start my life group for small business owners?
How do I get dinner made, finish work, find time to relax AND get to bed at a decent hour?
And my favorite…
Do I have time to take a shower today?
Breathe.
This morning was one of those mornings when I put my feet on the floor and anxiety instantly took over like vines climbing up a trellis in a horror film.
Before I knew it, the vines of anxiety were around my throat, making me feel blue in my mind, tight in the chest, and numb throughout the rest of my body.
Have you felt like this?
I took longer than I normally do getting my babies ready for daycare, but apparently that was meant to be. The first song I heard when I turned on the van was Breathe by Jonny Diaz.
My husband has been reminding me for a while to breathe, to pray, and to put my stressors and challenges in the hands of God. Unfortunately for me AND my Faith, sometimes I am slow and stubborn to listen and learn. Today, however, this song changed me.
Breathe.
You can’t do it all yourself.
You don’t HAVE to do it all yourself.
It’s within your power to say “NO!” to yourself AND others.
You deserve a moment to breathe a breath of fresh, cool air without fear of missing deadlines, losing time with your friends and family, and most importantly, losing touch of yourself, your passions and your dreams.
You are an amazing person. If you’re dealing with anxiety, please know you are NOT alone. You have a right – and the need – to reach out to those who can help you. If you don’t have people you can talk to, please reach out to me.
Anxiety can be scary. Anxiety can put you into a mental downward spiral you don’t feel you can ever recover from. But you can. And you will.
Breathe.
