When Anxiety Crashes Like A Wave

Hi Friend, have you felt extra anxious lately or just more on edge? Are you overwhelmed with all that is going on? I hear you and feel you. I have definitely felt like that but today I want to encourage you! I also want to share resources to help with these feelings.

So I know today’s blog may not have to do with the ocean but I think it is an important subject that needs to be talked about. Some of you may be experiencing anxiety that you’ve always dealt with, some perhaps are experiencing it for the first time, maybe it is caused by a lot of environmental issues that are happening (also called eco-anxiety). Whatever you may be dealing with know that you are not alone. It may feel like it but that is a lie.

I personally haven’t really ever dealt with anxiety until recently when COVID-19 first hit, all of a sudden I was getting it regularly and I didn’t know how to deal with it. I was having shortness of breath, my thoughts would spiral out of control. Perhaps it was building up and I never really noticed, but ultimately it felt like a rogue wave had crashed on me leaving me stunned and scrambling for a breath. Do you relate? It can all feel scary and overwhelming but you can get through this. I now have been doing better, but keep this in mind it’s a journey it takes time. I want to share some resources that have really helped me.

The first resource I want to share about a Youtube channel called Adam Fields DC. I highly recommend his 360 breathing AM/PM videos. Honestly, this channel helped me to focus on my breath and bring my mind back to a better focus. This helped me in the midst of anxiety. Make sure to do this in the morning and evening for as long as you need to. During this time I also did yoga regularly. Physical activity may be helpful to you as well. Through a Christian perspective during these breathing sessions, I would take time to ponder on the love of Christ as it would ground me at that moment.

Once you’ve got yourself in a better state I recommend listening to something that guides you to focus on something else. For me, that was the Rush Podcast: Holy Spirit in Modern Life. This podcast is hands down one of my favorites! It puts me in a place of peace and opens me to receive what the Holy Spirit has to say to me. It truly feels as if the Holy Spirit is speaking to me when I listen to one of the episodes. I recommend doing this at night, possibly making it the last thing you do. If you do this in alignment with reading the Bible it helps you tremendously with your relationship with God.

The last resource I want to mention is Dr. Carlone Leaf and all of her books, Youtube channel, and podcast. She is the number one person who has helped me manage my thoughts so that they don’t control me. Her books Switch on Your Brain and Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess are two of my favorites. In her work she teaches you to go through a step process to go through toxic thoughts for a 63 day period, she calls it a Neurocycle. I am currently doing a Neurocycle on a toxic thought and can feel the improvement in my mind and the way I look at things. It’s not to say that what we are dealing with is not hard, but we acknowledge that we can handle it by breaking it down. I do this in conjunction with my daily bible study in the morning to set myself up for the day!

Friend know that you are loved by people and most importantly by God. He does not leave, even if at the moment it doesn't feel like it. Hold on to me him, he will get you through this. Focus your attention on him and watch as your worries begin to get smaller. Ask God for help to renew your mind to the likeness of Jesus. Pray to him always letting these feelings and thoughts fall at his feet.

"Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life." Philippians 4:6-7

If you are interested my twin sister actually talked about this subject on our podcast. I’ll leave it here for you to check out! Friend, I hope this was useful to you! Let me know what you do to get through anxiety?