I am not anxiety. I just experience it sometimes.
Anxiety can be very consuming, but I think that it is really important to remember that you are not anxiety, that I am not anxiety.
Our self talk has a big effect on us. We can often be our own worst critics! It is so easy to get down in the dumps about ourselves. The way we look – our hair is too straight, too curly, too thick, too thin, too blonde, too dark …. The things we say – we talk too much, we don’t talk enough, the comments we made could offend someone …. The way we react – laughing, agree, disagree, speak up or stay quiet and not say anything.
Why are we so criticising of ourselves?
We might remember a certain comment made. This comment might have been made just recently, or it might have been made many years ago. The person who made the particular comment more likely than not, probably just said it either as a joke, or just as a fleeting comment. They probably meant absolutely nothing by it, but to you it might have hit a nerve. It might have meant something completely different, something completely out of context.
It might have caused you to feel that you aren’t good enough. That you shouldn’t speak up. That you should be different in some way. It might cause you to tell yourself that you shouldn’t be who you are, that no one will like you the way that you are.
Then every time you hear a similar comment, or hear the song that was on the radio when the comment was made, or some other co-relation to the comment, your anxiety, and those feelings of low self-worth will be triggered. I wonder if you can relate to this?
I would like to ask you a question. When you look in the mirror, what do you see? Do you like the person you see? Do you see all the flaws and faults? Or do you see a beautiful person who is enough, who was made beautifully, and who is special just the way you are? Do you see all the good and positive things about you? Do you notice how pretty your smile is? How beautiful your eye colour is? How nice your hair is? Do you look at your tummy and see how flabby it is, or do you feel grateful that you were able to carry your beautiful babies there? Do you look at your legs and see the cellulite there, or do you feel grateful that they carry you around every day and allow you to do the wonderful jobs you do?
Do you ever really look at yourself, or do you have a quick glance when you wash your hands? Do you see your beauty? Or just your faults and how you think you should be?
If someone gives you a compliment and tells you how nice you look, do you just laugh it off or even deny it, or do you gratefully accept it?
I invite you to look for and see your beauty.
Just because someone else has an opinion of you doesn’t mean that is who you are.
One of the things we tend to do when we are feeling anxious is overthink everything.
Why did I say that?
Why didn’t I say ….?
That person thinks I am so rude.
They won’t want to be my friend anymore.
I talk way too much.
If I just shut my mouth I wouldn’t get myself into so much trouble.
Who am I to even have an opinion?
I am so useless.
Do you see how overthinking causes us to over analyse every situation, often concocting imaginary scenarios?
In all honesty, the person you made the comment to, probably hasn’t even given it another thought! It is just our self-doubt that is overthinking it. This is one thing that anxiety tricks us into doing.
Don’t let it! It is time to release that anxiety.
You are not anxiety.
It is time to step into you, who you really are. I want you to know that you are loved, you are beautiful, you are enough.