On Anxiety And How I'm Reclaiming My Sanity In These Uncertain Times.

When Life Seems Bleak.

This time last year, I was preparing for surgery number two. I remember being wheeled into the theatre and trying to calm my beating heart.

“Everything would be fine”, I kept telling myself, and willing myself to believe. Eventually, I succumbed to Anaesthesia and “went under”.

It’s been a full year since that day, but it seems to have happened a lifetime ago. The trauma of surgery, the sleepless nights in the hospital and the pain.

Life has taught me that things never really go like we plan sometimes. That I can not control every aspect of this thing called life. That there will be detours, unpleasant ones sometimes.

Towards the end of 2019, I proclaimed 2020 as my year of enjoyment. I had planned to travel to a few new places and see a bit more of the world.

It all seemed within reach and plans were already being put in place. I definitely didn’t see this chaos and uncertainty that the world has somehow been thrown into coming.

If you had told me that in 2020, freedom of movement will be something that will be taken away from me, I would have laughed it off. Same way I would have, if you had told me I’ll eventually end up having not one, but two surgeries.

Life has a weird sense of humor right?

Everything currently seems a little bleak, the world is battling a pandemic and no one knows for certain when things will be better. A perfect recipe for Anxiety and mental exhaustion, if you ask me.

So I thought to share a few ways I’ve been trying to reclaim my sanity in these uncertain times.

1. Wearing pops of colors bright colors.

This may seem like fluff. I also thought all that talk about dressing and mood was fluff, but lately I’ve been wearing pops of colors and bright colors like yellow and it has really helped to lift my mood.

I also heard that dressing up a bit regardless of if I’m just staying indoors helps, and so far it has worked for me.

2. Limiting my intake of news.

It’s hard to not consume news, especially when you’re on twitter and constantly being bombarded by COVID memes, news and update.

Now, I intentionally skip some posts and mute some of these words to save my poor heart some ache.

Here's How I'm Coping With The Fear And Anxiety Of These Uncertain Times, And How You Can Too! Click To Tweet

3. Reading.

There’s nothing quite like getting lost in a book, so lately I’ve been reading to occupy my mind, and to escape from life for a bit.

I just finished reading the memory keeper’s daughter and it was quite engaging, and kept me locked in for days.

Related: What’s On My Current Reading List.

4. Focusing On The Positives.

What positives right? Nothing really seems to be working and there are a lot more negatives than positives. I get that.

With regards to corona virus, when I start getting scared, I try to focus on some of the little positives like the fact that there is a high recovery rate and people I know personally have also recovered.

This is not to discount the deaths but to train my mind to see that it also doesn’t have to mean a death sentence.

5. Keeping the faith.

If there’s one thing I learned from my surgeries, it’s that recovery eventually comes. So I’m hopeful that just like my surgeries now seem like a lifetime ago, this will also be a thing of the past sometime soon.

I’m also leaning on God’s word and resting in his assurances, whilst washing my hands like crazy and trying to stay safe.