Feeling Anxiety on the Rise

I am beginning to feel my anxiety start to rise. Over the last few months, I have been sick on and off. A previous post detailed it all, but I am still left with a horrible cough that just racks my entire body. It’s exhausting. It’s been months. It hurts everything.

What is making me anxious, is that I have an out of town work training for two days, and it is quickly approaching, and I am not feeling better. So I am finding myself ruminating on it, and it makes it so much worse. I know I will be alright, but when I feel sick, I just want to be home.

UGH! I am going to work hard to try to combat the anxiety and stay positive. I just wish I felt like myself 😦

Very Hard Day

Today, a member of my family said she was considering suicide. She claimed that she was afraid she was going to have to do it because it was the only way out. She said she cannot stop her dark thoughts, and she knows that no one in the world cares about her at all.

These statements did not take me by surprise, because she has been struggling for years, but she has never before said it so clearly. I felt it was prudent to take action.

I sought counsel from a close friend, who is in the mental health field, and after an hour long conversation, we felt the next step would be to have her go to the emergency room. However, the difficult part is that this family member is on my husband’s side. He would have to be on board, and being so close to the situation, and dealing with the issues his entire life, he doesn’t see it the same way as I do.

He told me she was fine, originally, but I know he knows she isn’t. He mentioned to go to the hospital to check her blood pressure, and she refused. She wants to set up a doctor’s appointment to check her meds, because she hasn’t checked in with the doctor since 2015 because she doesn’t trust doctors. They have just been refilling her prescription without meeting with her.

I am very worried about her safety, however, the family continues to live with their head in the sand and wants to just smooth things over so she is happy. Which she never is. They don’t want to upset her. There is only so much I can do in the situation without their consent. It’s horrible just watching it spiral without anyone acting.

Please send prayers that the family has the strength to do what needs to the be done and that the doctors will have the wisdom to help in the way she needs.

Anxiety makes a comeback

Over the past two weeks, things have been pretty difficult emotionally – anxiety in particular. It’s been all over the map. Things all feel calm and zen, when suddenly, it spikes sky high.

Having dealt with anxiety for so many years, I understand its cycle, and that i have gotten to a place where it will eventually pass. However… I just wish it would never come back. Can’t we cure it? Balance the hormones and serotonin in my brain so I can be a zero out of ten for the rest of my life?

Work seems to be a huge place of anxiety for me right now. Many of my close friends work with me, and there is turmoil within the various relationships – ladies not getting along and boundaries being crossed – and it is making it really difficult. I love my job so much, but tension is so high that I don’t even want to go to work. It sucks! Since I have friendships with the women outside of work , it gets carried into my personal life. It’s a mess! And my anxiety hasn’t been this high in a while. It’s awful.

Luckily, my husband is our assistant principal, so he is a huge anchor for me. He knows about all the drama, and he has been so encouraging to me. Reminds me to focus on the kids, and do my best. God will take care of the rest. I feel so lucky to have him.

I know all of this will eventually work out. Tension will lessen and it will resolve itself somehow. My anxiety will weaken again, and let me rest. I have been working hard to focus on God and turn my thoughts to the positive.

Writing is a Journey- How do you travel it?

How many of you are writers? Me too! I love stringing words together to make beautiful phrases and mental images. It’s my passion.

In earlier blog posts, I have written about my fear of beginning a novel. Or should I say, completing one. I have started so many stories, but they always seem to fade off when I hit writers block, or I can’t see past the event I am stuck on.

For whatever reason, once I hit this spot in my writing, I get in my own way. My doubts and insecurities as a writer surface and I just leave the project. I know it is unhealthy, and it’s my goal to move beyond it and finally finish.

How do you move past your fears and writers block? Does writing expose any of your insecurities?

Dealing with the Everyday

My first week of back to work (aka school!) is under my belt, and I already feel like I have been teaching these kids all year. They are just great! I have a fantastic group of 8th graders this year, and they seem to really click with my style. It is the honeymoon stage, but I’m really looking forward to seeing where this year takes us.

This week, I have struggled with my anxiety again. I am not sure what triggered it, but it was high for a majority of the week. I knew I couldn’t let it take over because I wanted to be present for my students, as well as my daughter. I have limited time with her now that I am back in school, and I want to use every moment to the fullest.

To combat my anxiety, I just pushed through. I tried my best to keep a positive attitude, and when I felt like I was falling apart, I opened up and shared with a friend. I think if is important to have someone you can talk to when you have high anxiety.

I just feel it is imperative that when we feel our anxiety at its worst, we don’t give up. Living with this disease for so long has shown me that the dark days pass. They really do. As long as you fight back. Don’t give up. Don’t let it win. You can experience peace, even if you think you can’t. I never thought I would EVER feel anxiety-free, but I do! Sure I still struggle, but I know it will pass.

It will for you too.

When Anxiety is in the Room

It steals away moments of happiness

And replaces it with gloom.

The sunshine seems so much darker

When anxiety is in the room.

We cannot let it control

And fill our hearts with doom.

We must preserve

Until joy starts to bloom.

Breathe

Breathe.

Take a moment to see what is around you.

Breathe.

The world is filled with wonders.

Breathe.

You will find yourself again if you just,

Breathe.

The Mountains Are My Sanctuary

This trip has been incredible! I started out with a mild amount of anxiety, and today, I have none! Being out in the woods and surrounded by nature, makes me feel at peace. I feel surrounded by God and his marvelous creation, and that makes me feel in awe. It feels wonderful to be anxiety free!

Today, the family and I are heading to Utah! We will be spending 4 days in Zion National Park, which we have never been too, before we head back home. I am looking forward to having more time experiencing nature and finding my peaceful balance.

Surrender to the moment

Currently, I am lounging outside on my hammock admiring my beautiful back yard as my adoring husband tinkers around, and my daughter enjoys her toys. My heart swells with such love in this moment. This ordinary, precious moment.

Sometimes, my anxiety is too high to allow me to see these moments, but today it is pushed aside. I am surrendering to joy. To happiness.

It’s much easier said than done, but I vow to continue working at it until it is easy. Anxiety won’t steal anything else away from me. God has given me such a beautiful life, and I plan to enjoy it!

Hit Hard

Last night something triggered my anxiety (not sure what) but it was raging out of control. I felt like I was no longer in control of my thoughts, and they were leading down a dark path. I have always found it difficult to combat anxiety at night, because nighttime means quiet. There is nothing to distract me when I feel the strong grip of anxiety start to take hold, and that’s exactly what happened last night. I lost control.

My husband woke up in the middle of the night and I told him about my struggle, and he was able to comfort me, but not free me from it. I was finally able to fall asleep, but anxiety followed me into the morning.

I spent a lot of the morning in prayer as I went about my daily routine. I felt weak mentally, so I knew the only way I could win was through funneling my thoughts towards God. Things finally began to turn around when I heard a song on the radio talking about in our dark times, we need God. In that moment, I was reminded that I am not the only one in this battle. I am not the only person who has dark moments. I felt myself begin to take back control, and slowly, peace replaced anxiety.

I felt I learned that when I am hit hardest with anxiety, I tend to isolate myself. I feel like I’m the only person who has dark moments. But I am not! If you ever feel this way, know that I am there with you! We are all in this together! I believe that Satan wants us to feel isolated, because alone we are weak. But together we are strong!

Anxiety is a difficult beast to understand, but bringing it into the light, helps lessen its grip! Bring yours into the light. You can win, just as I did today!