Is Anxiety Making You Feel Paralyzed?

My story goes way back to my early 20’s but has shaped the person I am today and because of it, I’m grateful. As we know, growth surges during times of darkness.

MY STORY

I remember my first panic attack like it was yesterday: I was 22 years old, driving up to Key West from Miami with my boyfriend at the time. One moment I was feeling great while jamming to some music and the next, I was feeling a strange rush go through my body as if I was about to die. For over two hours, I felt like I was losing my sense of reality.

From that moment, these attacks happened daily. I soon learned that the experience had a name, that they were common and that I wasn’t actually loosing it. They were what led me to start exercising and working on my mental and emotional health in the first place, in an effort to heal past traumas and distorted perspectives. The attacks lessened until, one day, they stopped entirely.

But then life hit me hard: after a few years of being panic attack free, I experienced major trauma when my mom was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Feeling fearful and hopeless, the panic attacks came rushing back. It wasn’t until after she passed that I slowly began to learn, again, how to keep these fight or flight episodes at bay.

After almost 12 years of experiencing these episodes, I’ve learned that, even if we’re prone to anxiety, we don’t have to let it control our lives. I’ve learned to live with this condition and figured out what works for me in order to keep it at bay, like maintaining healthy routines and working day-in and day-out on inner healing. I’ve had to accept that I won’t always have control over everything, like my mom getting sick and dying from cancer.

Healing and growth is an ever-evolving process, so I don’t expect to reach a place of absolute bliss and consistency – that’s not what life is about. The constant challenges and struggles that life throws our way will continue to shape and transform us.

But growth is a zig-zag, not a straight shot: some days are bright and full of perspective, while others are messy and blurry. Stability is not measured by having consistent positive emotions but in our ability to be resilient by stepping outside of our heads and getting perspective when things are tough.

And that’s what ANXIETY has taught me – to always take a step back and reassess. Its presence is usually a sign from my body and mind that something needs to be worked through. In a weird way, it’s been a blessing, waking me up to my inner needs and forcing me to pay attention to the areas that still need healing.

But I’ve also learned that anxiety doesn’t always mean something needs to be addressed in our perspective. In trying times; fear, anxiety, worry, and panic are completely normal responses.

The way I see it, this is much like riding your bike up a hill. The resistance experienced while pedaling your way up certainly slows you down and it may take you longer to get to the top. You may even have to stop for a second to take a break and that’s okay. But that doesn’t mean you’re going to give up and stop completely, right?! Even if you have to slow down, YOU ARE STILL MOVING FORWARD.

That hill is merely a set back that’s challenging your abilities. It’s making you stronger physically and mentally as you exercise your will power as well as your legs.

Well, in the same manner I invite you to view set backs as an OPPORTUNITY to exercise your inner strength and will power.

I want to CHALLENGE  you to keep up the momentum and maintain HOPE.

This will require some conscious effort everyday. Here it goes:

1. Find at least one thing to be GRATEFUL  for each day. I may seem hard sometimes when our days become monotonous but it can be as simple as “I’m grateful the sun shinned through my window today”. Really stop and acknowledge that gift. Rehearse it once in the afternoon when you’re starting to get bored and/or anxious and once again in the evening.

2. Call or text someone you love and check on them. Share words of kindness towards them and send good vibes of love their way.

3. AVOID PARALYSIS! Even when it feels like you can’t move forward, l promise you you still can. So ask yourself, “What can I do today to move forward with my goals?” Whether it be career goals, spiritual goals, or fitness goals. Whatever that may be for you, make sure to do something EACH day to keep the momentum. Remember, just because things got tough going up that hill, doesn’t mean you’re going to give up, right?! 😉

Know that I am here with you and for you! I understand when things feel obscure and hope seems to be at a far out distance, but there is light within you and I want you to tap into it. If you need anything anything at all, please feel free to reach out by replying back to this email.

One more thing, if you have a friend you think may be down right now or even someone you want to send some love to, share the link to this story with them. This is how we help lift one another when we all need it the most.

Love always,

Vilmaliz