How I Handle Anxiety

Dealing with anxious feelings can be overwhelming. It is hard to see through the storm of emotions, sensations, and happenings when something or someone triggers anxiety within you. Just remember it is happening within you, and within you is the solution. Most things start in a person's mind, so one of my go-to's is to take a position where if I feel off-balanced or out-of-control, I remember what I honestly do not have control of the most, yet it is mine to try to take possession of, and that is my breath. 

Breathing happens regardless of whether I can control it; it's a biological, natural response to sustaining our essential functions at the core. So, if I can be mindful of how I am breathing, at the pace (not hyperventilating) and frequency (being conscious of each breath I take in and out; literally, I start counting my breaths per exhale) per minute. I'll look at my watch, phone time, or a clock in the room and start counting each breath when I feel things are beyond my control. If things are extra overwhelming, I focus and take deeper, slow breaths, holding the breaths in for a few extra seconds and exhaling as long as I can. 

Imagine that on each inhale, you are taking in positive vibes (no matter the crazy going on around you or smells in the air, it is always favorable if it is breathable), and on each exhale, think of that breathing as releasing all the toxic energy and harmful vibes/ aliments. Take a look at the More section in the Interesting Places or Things portion for inspiring quotes about feeling anxious and get some ideas on changing your outlook and developing a different perspective.  

When asked by the Playboy Interviewer, "If life is so purposeless, do you feel that it's worth living?"

, Stanley Kubrick said: "However vast the darkness, we must supply our own light."