Normally, I would apologize for interrupting, but not today. This is definitely a sorry/not sorry kind of interruption, and it is something that I am thankful for, as it saved my day.
I have dealt with bouts of anxiety and depression over the years and have come to a peaceful truce, for the most part, with both. Sometimes, though, they return long enough to make their presence known. This morning, as it has more often lately, anxiety was present and accounted for.
It is jarring enough to wake up to the sound of an alarm clock, but when anxiety joins the dissonance, it makes for a rude awakening. As soon as I opened my eyes, I felt the vise grip of anxiety tighten around my head. Immediately, a variety of thoughts, both positive and not so positive, began to compete for my attention. Before my feet even hit the floor, I wanted to pull the covers over my head and call it a day.
As I lingered in bed, the quote, Interrupt anxiety with gratitude, emerged from the recesses of my mind. I didn’t exactly give it a warm welcome, as I was already committed to this being an anxiety riddled day, but I decided to put it to the test. With that, I began to seek out moments of gratitude to interrupt anxiety.
It sounds easy enough, but at first, I was a reluctant participant in this experiment. So, my initial moments of gratitude were not heartfelt or genuine. At best, they were superficial, and I was going through the motions. With repetitive motion, though, comes increased momentum and energy, so, I kept going, albeit slowly.
The more I focused on what I was grateful for and what was going right in my life at the moment, the more the anxiety faded into the background. It worked. It actually worked, and I will welcome that kind of interruption any time! Gratitude truly saved my day.
Just one thing each day. . .
Categories: Just One Thing Each Day
That's Another Story 
How many mornings I have awoken to extreme anxiety. They were mostly business related, and have subsided by themselves once entering retirement. But I found that more often then not my anticipation was subordinate to reality. I too used an internal rationale to conquer my anxiety, often centered around family and friends. Positivity is a drug that has fantastic power. What am I thankful for. Posts like this one.
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Heartfelt thanks for sharing your experience with anxiety and for your kind words. You truly made my day!
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