Author: jasmine.lim

Anxiety comes in many shapes and sizes. In our regular day-to-day living, we already experience feeling anxious sometimes. It is not the same for everyone, but one thing’s for sure: the coronavirus pandemic is a top-up on our already-existing issues.

It’s not easy having to remind ourselves to wash our hands frequently and stay away from people. Not to mention having to get used to that uncomfortable feeling of wearing face masks in public. There are a lot of new things that we should start considering our normal, and this shift may heighten our anxiety. Here are a few tips that can help in dealing with them:

1.  Recognize that what you’re feeling is anxiety.

Contrary to some beliefs, ignoring the problem won’t make the problem go away. Addressing the situation allows you to have control over it. You can start by writing down all your worries and concerns for you to have a clearer picture. Once you finally understand where your anxiety is stemming from, you can identify how you can solve your problems and handle things that you can’t change.

2.  Relief only comes when you know how to handle the threat.

The threat may still be there—but knowing when or how the threat attacks help us handle the attacks better. Being productive and maintaining friendships may seem like a taxing job at first, but it may give you a sense of control. It may make you realize that you only need a distraction from your pool of emotions. However, be cautious enough to recognize if something is really harming your mental health. Distractions are good, but they are not always the solution.  

3.  It will not always be okay.

Recognize that all people have tough days and experience bad events. Even the successful people experience unfortunate events.

4.  Be present.

Anxiety will not exist if you shift your awareness to present, the moment of NOW. Many of us either live in the future, always anticipate what to be or will happen next or living in the past repeating the story may no longer serve us well towards what you want to achieve in life. We tend to think what we desire is in the future tense and comes with conditions e.g. until you achieve something, then you will be happy. Or in times when there’s uncertainty or out of normality, you may associate the unknown about the future with fear or worry. Bring your awareness to NOW, you will find anxiety disappear almost instantly.

Life is not perfect. Each one of us goes through times in our lives when we feel we are at our lowest, darkest moments. And that’s okay. It is perfectly okay to not be okay. You know why? Because you do not have to get stuck in that dump that you’re in, because we all are imperfect human beings here to learn what life truly means. No matter how much life sucks and how bad things are for you at the moment, the beauty of it is – the gain is exponential if you choose to learn from it and bounce back. Every low end is a perfect opportunity to reach the next height, the next level of potential.

The truth remains – Life is beautiful, without darkness we will not learn to appreciate the light, without sorrow, we will not able to learn what joy truly means. Recognize that all people have tough days and experience bad events. Even the luckiest and successful people experience unfortunate events. This is the moment for you to choose to step into your will power to change and react or give in to darkness which means give your power away to circumstances and others. And there is always hope. If you choose to see it.If you give yourself a chance.

In times when you feel like drowning in an open sea, or locked up in a prison cell, what do you do? Even in this darkness moment like this when you feel choice is so limited, you still have choice to choose what experience you want to get out of it. Will you choose to just stay there and let yourself drown and sink down to the bottom of the sea or will you choose to experience calm and think for a way out? Will you scream your lungs out, cry for help to get out of the prison or choose to experience peace and think for a way out? The choice is yours.

The first step to solving a problem is acknowledging that you have a problem. You will not know where or how to start taking action when you do not even admit to yourself that you have a problem. Acknowledge that we all are imperfect human beings. It’s okay to be judged, to fail and learn and be better. Start by asking yourself. What is it that has been bugging you, making you restless and giving you sleepless nights? Recognize where the struggles come from. Why you are feeling what you are feeling. Why you are doing what you’ve been doing.

After recognizing and acknowledging the problem, you have to believe that you have a choice. You always have a choice. A choice to walk away from that misery. The choice to change and be better. The choice to move forward and slowly seek for  what it is that you want to achieve. Who you decide to be, where you decide to put your focus and attention on, what perspectives you choose to hold? You always have a choice. You can choose to stay miserable or you can choose to see the silver lining and see the learning of every possibility to growth.

Now, think about what it is exactly you want to achieve. If it is happiness, what exactly will make you happy? What are the options you have in order to be happy? What will bring you peace, happiness, freedom or all three? What will it take to get there? What do you need to let go to experience all that?

Now, take action. Get up. I understand it is painful to get up from the pain but the thing is, if you don’t get up you know for sure what you going to get – in the same pain. Nothing changes. Rise from the dump you are sitting on. Often times, taking action entails change. And the first step towards change is to access and examine within yourself. What are the stories and perspectives that no longer serve you and should be let go? What are the things that you should stop doing? If you continue to do what you’ve been doing, nothing will change.

You see, most people have the habit of just waiting for circumstances to change before taking any action. Without taking action to change the circumstances, nothing will happen. You will just be doomed to stay in those miserable circumstances. And they say misery loves company. If you spend time with people who are as miserable as you are, you will become even more miserable. Choose your circle. Spend time with people who are positive and passionate about life. In no time, you will begin to be like them.

Now, make that change. Step into your will power and own your life, be the person you always meant to be. I believe that every imperfect human being are born for a purpose to experience a meaning of life that means for them. Be curious, enjoy the process, in life there’s no failure but only learning. Start taking steps towards achieving that dream. That goal. And don’t settle for less than what you deserve. Dream big. Set high goals. When your dream is big, your problem becomes smaller. 

I invite you to think again, “You always have a choice”. Now make the choice that what’s best for you. Make that change. Help yourself. Life is short. Start now 🙂