Introduction

For as long as I can remember anxiety has been there. In elementary school I was prescribed tummy medicine for frequent stomach aches. 

Shy. Quiet. A central nervous system jacked with no skills to regulate. 

Walking into classrooms for the first time with shaky palms, shortness of breath, a tight chest, nausea, numbness in my legs.

 or being in uncomfortable social situations, freezing, not being able to speak.

Sickness before every race in track in high school.  More tummy medicine. As an 800 runner, my second time around the track was always so much faster than the first because I was finally over my nerves by then. 

First mental health job after my bachelors left me with severe burn out, overwhelmed, and feeling like a failure. I was physically sick every morning before work. Single mom life, lack of self-care, life-management skills, and lack of healthy boundaries with work and in personal life.  

Feeling like this is painful, or at the least it’s uncomfortable, and it steals from being able to fully experience the joys of life. 

Since that first professional job I had 16 years ago I have dedicated much of my time to understanding the symptoms so many others also experience on a daily basis that hold us back or we have to fight through to keep going. 

The purpose in this blog is to be able to share these experiences, tools and helpful information with others. This will provide reflection and awareness opportunities for the readers that find value in journaling. 

How do you remember anxiety affecting you throughout  your child and adult life? Did you have similar symptoms? Could you recognize that it was anxiety at all?