Ahhhh, anxiety.
We go way back, us two.
It isn’t a secret that I have anxiety. I’ve made mention of it here on my blog numerous times, and I probably will again in the near future. It is a form of mental illness that affects a hell of a lot of us, and if I’m able to generate some awareness and advocacy on the matter through my writing, you can bet your ass I’m gonna.
#sorrynotsorry.
Since I’ve had anxiety riding on my back for over a decade now, I’ve learned some things that have really helped me in regards to coming to terms with my own anxieties, and further, have helped me to reduce its ability to rear its fugly head and ruin my day. Anxiety can be a hell of a bitch, so if I’m having a good day and have the opportunity to squash it before it gains some momentum, I’m going to take great pride in doing so.
Something that is a key component in the equation of reducing the occurrence of experiencing anxiety is, quite literally, preventing it from manifesting itself. This obviously is a lot easier said than done, but it is a harsh truth regarding anxiety that a lot of us have difficulty accepting.
It took me years to come to this realization on my own, but I can say that finding the inner strength and courage to resist the urge to give in to anxiety when it presents itself is the biggest way to gain ground in terms of diminishing it. When you hear that little voice in your head trying to convince you to doubt or second-guess yourself, you literally have to tell it to fuck right off and refuse to succumb to its power. This isn’t something you’ll be able to achieve overnight – it takes time, and a lot of it. And it’s easy to get impatient and frustrated and be tempted to give up, but you don’t really have a choice.
Either you win, or your anxiety wins. It is ultimately up to you to decide who the victor is going to be.
ontheedgeofeverything 
