Kicking Uncle Anxiety to the curb.

Tuesday, 12 February 2013

Look who showed up to class on Tuesday this week. That's right, this girl did! If you are picturing me bouncing around like Honey Boo Boo on go-go juice, you are correctly envisioning me right now.

I've decided to save my celeb chat for celeb day (duh!) which is tomorrow. Which is good because today I am slightly inspired to go back to touching on one of my favorite post subjects... Anxiety. Woooh, that relative we love to hate. My sweet friend Dani, whom I've known since the good ol' LJ dayzz, inspired this one. So, you can thank her for me bringing my anxiety to class for show and tell today. Or you can yell at her if you hate it, too. 

Kidding. Yell at me instead, Dani is too sweet for that nonsense.

Like I've said before, I am currently unmedicated for said anxiety because I'm the kind of messed up chick who enjoys feeling crazy. Ok, not really crazy, but I like to know there's some emotions hiding in me somewhere from time to time. 

That is until Uncle Anxiety comes to town and completely jacks up my day.

How do I cope with my anxiety?

That is the question.

Booze.

Ok, not really. Don't have me committed to AA just yet.

My name is Whitney....

no, no.

Here's the real deal - I meditate.

I sit in silence and I force every ounce of outside noise to be gone.

I close my eyes and picture myself in a empty white room with no responsibilities. 

No nothing. 

I take a deep breath in for 4 seconds. I hold that breath in for 4 seconds. I exhale that breath for 4 seconds.

Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

I repeat until I'm feeling more centered and back in control of my emotions.

Once I'm feeling more centered I make a to-do list.

It can include anything from feeding the dogs to finishing a wedding edit.

Put it all on there - big or small. Anything that could possibly be weighing on me.

This always helps me realize that sometimes things just have to wait until tomorrow.

And that's completely okay.

I remind myself of my favorite mantra.

(feel free to steal this for your phone, too!)

I have it on my phone too... just in case I forget it.

You know, because I forget things a lot.

Last, but certainly not least, have a glass of wine.

This time I'm serious.

Do something to indulge. To make yourself feel relaxed.

For me, it's a glass(es) of wine. It might be different for you (maybe you like tequila?).

Either way. It's ok to indulge on the days you have to deal with Uncle Anxiety.

He's a big pain in the ass. Treat yourself.

Usually one, or a combination of a few, of these does the trick.

Even if I have to wash.rinse. repeat multiple times during the day - for me, it just works.

What do you do to kick Uncle Anxiety to the curb?

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The Inevitable.

Thursday, 29 November 2012

Guys. GUYS!

Yesterday? Yesterday was by far the most amazing day I have experienced as a blogger.

So many amazing stories, so many beautiful new faces I got a chance to interact with.

Thank YOU all for sharing your personal stories with me, it was a really incredible day for me.

Here is just a small sample of some of the amazing feedback I received, amongst so many personal emails and comments...

Seriously though, I can't express how grateful I am for each and every one of you stepped forward and found a way to make me feel so normal and not alone. This blogging world is really, really amazing.

With all of that said, I think I have one more thing to cover on this topic before I shove it aside and go back to writing about how I returned a stale box of wine last night...

The inevitable.

Here is my list of the inevitable facts of being an anxiety sufferer:

**Disclaimer: this is all in good fun and is not meant to be taken seriously what-so-ever.

1. You absolutely did leave the oven on and your house is burning down as we speak.

Also, your hair straighteners, Scentsy warmers, irons, etc. They are all on, even after you've checked them 3 times over before you left the house, and you need to go check just one more time because your house is definitely going to be ashes when you get home and your pets will be gone. 

2. Those emails in your inbox will explode permanent ink all over the place, like those security tags, if you do not check it right now.

Yep, that's right, the world can not go on if you don't check your email at 3am, when you wake up tossing and turning, because there is most likely something life threatening in there.

Or, you know, just an email from your long lost Arabian relative who has a large fortune to send you once you respond with all of your personal information.

3. That unsaved number calling you is absolutely an evil monster calling to steal your virtue.

Or your first born, which ever comes first. Yes, unsaved numbers calling your phone are always means for a minor panic attack. I mean, there's no chance it's just a spam caller - even if you are on the national "do not call" list.

4. That semi truck approaching you in the next lane over is absolutely going to tip over on top of your car.

Speed up, immediately think of excuses to tell the cop when you get pulled over and get the hell away from that evil truck. You and your vehicle will be mashed potatoes if that semi gets anywhere near you. Also, don't forget to get out your spare napkins from your glovebox because I know you are perspiring like a whore in church right now.

5. You know that vehicle behind you that just made the exact same 3 turns as you? Yeah, they're absolutely following you.

ABORT MISSION and start making weird turns around the neighborhood until you lose them. This is not a joke, this is serious business. I mean, I know you don't actually watch many scary movies because they evoke many, many feelings of anxiety but this has to be what those movies are about.

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