Finding Balance & Taming Anxiety

Balance. It's the essence of life. Sometimes it's tranquil and other times it's chaotic. But in all it's glory, I believe balance is what makes life flow.

For the longest time I had so much trouble with balance. At one point I believe i had it, but it was at the cost of not doing much outside of the house. Since having Olivia, it's been hard to find that balance; the medium if you will. Her 1st year of life was the hardest to find balance. I am a woman of routine and obviously it's tough to keep routine with a growing and changing baby. So naturally, finding the balance seemed impossible. 

Not until recently have I found more sense of a balance. But it took making a big change in my life to do so. I recently had a huge health scare and honestly I'm still recovering. I thought something serious was wrong with me. I turned out to be not so serious but serious enough to make me change. I had a scary panic attack brought on by anxiety and stress. It was a terrifying feeling. 

Let's rewind a bit. I have always had anxiety. More recently, my anxiety has completely taken over my life, or more like I subconsciously let it. It's been a tough road. It's caused a strain on my life, my relationship and even being a mom. So since it was getting so bad, it inadvertently led to the life changing event. Both a serious panic attack with intense chest pain that lasted days, a terrible reaction to an anxiety medicine, and a very painful stomach ulcer.

It was complete torture for about a week to two weeks. I have just now begun to feel somewhat normal. But since all this happened I have been searching for more natural ways and methods to help my anxiety. 

Here's a list of what I have been doing and what has worked greatly:

• Meditation - It's something I used to do all the time when I was single, and for the life of me I don't know why I ever stopped. 
• Essential Oils - Just look them up. They really do work wonders. 
• Taking things one day at a time - For my own sanity.
• complete change in diet - Not dieting, just cut out all the bad food and started eating better, healthier food. It changes your energy levels, your overall persona and your digestive track. 
• Learning to breath through my diaphragm and also thinking of something positive when I feel the stress/anxiety coming on. 
• Doing things that make me happy - because it revitalizes your soul in so many wonderful ways. 
• Time for me - because every person needs it.

I literally take things one day at a time. I want to the best partner to my boyfriend. I want to be the best mom that is 100% there in every way for my baby girl. But most importantly I want to be the best me. I once was at a time in my life where I loved everything about myself. As in self-love and knowing my self-worth. I used to write all about how learning to love yourself first is so vital and important to living your best life. I used to write to my fellow twenty-somethings that learning to love yourself completely was the single best thing you could do for yourself. Because in doing so, your are doing the best service to your mind, body and soul. 

I am revisiting all of this. Because somehow, I lost my way. I lost my self-worth. I forgot how to love myself. I forgot what it all meant and where it all began. I was doing an injustice to myself and to my family. Because if I'm not at my best, then how could I be the best for them? I needed a sense of balance, I needed to learn to take control of my anxiety. I needed to take back my life. 

I have begun to do so. I am finding that balance. With the amazing support of my wonderful boyfriend and everyone around me, I am taking back my life. It is so important to never forget yourself. Never forget your worth or how much you are capable of loving yourself entirely. I lost my way there for some time, but I  plan to start working on myself and always keeping that as a main focus. As I used to always say...you never stop working on yourself. Working on me should never fall below the line. It should never take a backseat. 

Anxiety has been one of the toughest battles to date. But we can't let it control us or let it take control of our lives. I plan to live my best life possible and with a little balance along the way. Because balance is what makes my world go round.

TinyHumanTamer