What not to say to someone with an anxiety disorder
While most people experience times of worry and anxiety, there's absolutely no comparison to what people with anxiety disorder experience. Sure, it was most likely uncomfortable. Yet, given enough time, the anxiety subsided, and you were on your way. Anxiety disorder is a different beast. Most of the day, every single day, they are entangled in intense feelings of worry, guilt, and shame. Many will experience panic attacks. And there's an underlying fear something dire will happen. Not to mention the swirling storm of competing thoughts, usually of the "what if" variation. There's an overwhelming sense of being out of control. Thereby pulling you to try to control anything and everything in your path. There are rarely any exceptions. To say that anxiety is challenging is an understatement. While the person with anxiety is experiencing an internal battle for control, the person watching feels helpless and confused. It's mentally and emotionally taxing for everyone involved.
Creating Stability During COVID-19
These are uncertain and surreal times. And now, more than ever, we need each other. This is our time to step up and practice compassion for ourselves and others. It’s also important to point out that uncertainty usually brings up a lot of feelings. It’s ok to feel them all. You have permission to feel shitty, relieved, anxious, resentful, angry, joyful, confused...whatever you’re feeling.
3 Ways to Calm Your Anxious Mind
So here it is. Your mind will always think. Constantly. All. Of. The. Time. You can’t stop your mind from thinking. That’s what minds do. It means you’re alive. Oh, and those thoughts you’ve labeled as negative…you can’t stop those either.
3 reasons therapy might not be a good fit for you (right now)
Therapy can be an incredible experience of growth and personal insight. It can help you to learn new skills, a new way of looking at what's going on in your life, and how to form a better relationship with yourself and others. I can literally go on for hours talking about the benefits of therapy; however, I will not. Instead, let's talk about why therapy may not be a good fit for you…at least not right now. Let me start with a caveat.
Using SMART Goals to Usher in the New Year!
How about we change it up this year? Instead of making some well-intentioned resolutions that you'll likely stop doing by, say, January 5th, how about you set an actual attainable goal and create a real plan? I'm talking about accountability. My favorite way to do this is by setting SMART goals.
Creative Ways to Increase Self-confidence
There are inherent dangers once we tread outside the norm. We could embarrass ourselves, we could fall flat on our faces, or we could do amazing things and, at the same time, experience the feeling we’re a fraud. The longer we pay attention to these unhelpful thoughts, the more likely they are to become our beliefs. Eventually, it’ll become our truth, and we won’t even question their existence. These unhelpful beliefs will become the distorted lens through which we view life. And they’re far from rose-colored.