Are You Paralyzed By Anxiety Today?

  Some days I am home literally paralyzed by anxiety. Sometimes it is my own ~ sometimes it is not. I was thinking today about if that might be you. If you are home paralyzed by whatever it is that is paralyzing you...because anxiety has a lot of different faces...I am thinking about you right now! I just wanted to reach out to you. Maybe I can help for a minute. Can you start by doing some deep breathing? Just slowly breathe in through your nose and hold it for five seconds. Then can you slowly push it out through your mouth? Do that again and a couple more times but don't pass out from it :) You want to get your heart rate down a little. Are you cold or really hot? If you are cold could you get a soft warm blanket or a hot water bottle and cuddle yourself up? You could have a warm bath or shower also. Or if you are too hot get a cool cloth for your forehead and the back of your neck.

  Your thoughts might be racing out of control or your brain might feel scarily empty. However you are reading this ~ so direct your thoughts, take control. Direct them to the fact that you are you. Say your name a couple times out loud. Say a color out loud a couple times. Say some kind words out loud. Say them to yourself ~ out loud.
 
 There are not going to be any children reading this I am assuming and so although as adults we often 'feel' like children we are adults at least in body. So it is time to get on your big girl or big boy garb whatever that is. Is it a hat? Coat? Runners? Necklace? Lipstick? Whatever it is get that on and let yourself know you are a grown up. Focus on your favorite color and peaceful place. Focus on the fact that you are cared for, that you are not forgotten, that you have purpose and deserve to have dreams. Focus on the fact that there is still good and beauty on the earth and that it is not all dark and filled with hopelessness even if right now it feels to you like it is.

  Have you eaten yet? If you feel you can't eat get yourself a drink at least. Hot tea, hot chocolate, water with lemon, just plain water whatever you can get your hands on and drink a whole cup. You need to eat at some point too because you are an adult! No one needs to feed you even if it feels like they should. Do you have a beautiful or encouraging favorite song you could put on? Now might be a good time.

  So take some times. Time to breathe, time to take care of you. Take control of your thoughts. Nurture your body and spirit.

 You can do today. It just might take some time
xo