Has your anxiety ever caused you to feel so physically and mentally uncomfortable, you just wanted to shed your skin?
I hated that feeling. I would do anything to make those feelings go away, so much so that I ended up becoming my very own doctor, self-medicating with drugs and alcohol.
These substances provided an illusioned vacation. Unfortunately, when the drugs wore off, my anxiety would be waiting for me, holding up a “welcome back” sign, excited to re-engage. Numbing my symptoms only made them worse.
I am a natural reactor, I’ve always been, BUT, over time I’ve learned to respond to things (like my anxiety) rather than react. Hallelujah, there’s hope for everybody!
We’re not always able to control when anxiety hits, but we can control the way we respond to it.
Did you know that God smiled the day you were born?
Some of you might not think this is true. You may have been told that you were a mistake.
Maybe you survived an abortion or were born addicted to drugs. You might have been an “oopsie baby” or a result of rape. Whatever the case, you were meant to be here. Not only that, but you are a blessing.
We allow others to tell us who we are or aren’t, engraving their words into our hearts as we walk around this world with our heads hanging low.
If you only knew…
How precious you are, intricately made by a powerful Father who does not make mistakes.
I don’t know who needs to hear this, but someone does.
Babies are born every single day, so I know it’s someone’s birthday today: Whoever and wherever you are, Happy Birthday. Here’s to you my friend. It’s an honor to celebrate your life.
I’ve seen many anti-drug commercials, but one stood out to me the most.
Three teenage boys sit on a couch. They are not in jail, haven’t been in a car accident, and are not dead. Fast forward to the future. They haven’t moved. They sit on the same couch. Even though the consequences don’t seem severe they are not living up to their full potential.
I can’t help but wonder about these boys. Why were they choosing to confine themselves to a couch instead of experiencing life?
I then realized, I chose that very same path.
They are not living up to their full potential
Like a warm blanket, drugs covered my insecurity and anxiety. Numbing my worries and temporarily blocking problems from my consciousness.
Eventually, the drugs started to feel more like a wet blanket. My insecurities worsened and I began to isolate. I’d sit watching television for hours at a time, sometimes days. The depression and anxiety following the come down was terrible-so I’d stay high, and the cycle repeated.
I wasn’t living life to my fullest potential. I knew this, even with all the discomfort and chaos happening internally.
But knowing and doing are two separate things.
I eventually got clean and sober. At the age of 27.
My emotional maturity level was that of a teenager, the same age I started using. Drugs had been my primary coping method for so long. I now had to learn to deal with life and feelings.
With the help of 12 step meetings, therapy, doctors, friends, family, and God, I started down this road of mental healthiness (I think I just made that up).
I dealt with what I needed to and in the process discovered purpose and passions I never knew I had.
I eventually got clean and sober
If I kept numbing myself I might still be on that same couch today (probably a newer couch, but you get the point) or worse. I wouldn’t be living for what I have been purposed for.
Each one of us is created with gifts and talents. Every. Single. One.
If you are under the influence and reading this, you were created for a purpose.
If you are anxious, depressed, angry, hurt, manic and everything else in between, you were created for a purpose.
Whoever you are, you were created for a purpose.
What’s getting in the way of reaching your full potential?
