Josie Woosnam
Ahhh, Fall. Football, vibrant changing leaves, pumpkin-spiced everything, and sweater weather are some of the best parts of the change during this season. However, with this new season, we also face a new school year, full of new challenges and opportunities. For many, this new year means a fresh start – a new chance to do our best and a blank slate on which we can draw our futures. But for me and many others (according to statistics on teen anxiety), a new school year creates another set of challenges we face adding to the ever-growing existing collection of worries. For those who are more like I tend to be, here are some of the ways that I calm my anxiety down before it gets too loud in this new season.
Well, some ways I bring that overwhelming noise to not even a whisper are by focusing on the little things in life that bring comfort. For me during autumn, it’s a fall-scented candle, talking face to face with the people I am closest to, listening to music, or just going outside for a breath of fresh, crisp air. And when I notice the worries in my head start to become deafening, I allow my brain to zoom out and view life “big picture.” More often than not, we are told to take deep breaths, especially when the feeling of a panic attack starts to take over. Because of this, as frequently as I can, I use a method developed by officials in the navy called square breathing to remind myself that I am okay. I start by inhaling, holding, exhaling, then holding - each for four seconds as a relief mechanism to calm anxiety.
Many of us get easily overwhelmed by the bombarding tasks that vary from day to day, but by surrounding myself with the little things that bring me comfort, I am able to better prioritize and not let the sounds in my head or all around me get too overwhelming. By noticing the little things from day to day, we can get a better sense of who God is. I believe the more predominant changes from the summer to the fall are set for us as a reminder that God is ultimately the one in control of even the small things like the change in the color of leaves. Matthew 6:25-34
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