An anxious mind.

I remember when I worked at the hospital clinic, a supervisor asked me once how long I'd had anxiety. I looked at her like she had three heads and said, "Anxiety? I'm not an anxious person!" Later that night, I had to pull the phone away from my ear because my mom's howling laughter was so loud... I had recounted that same story to her, and was hoping for her to confirm the disbelief that I was anxious. With a chuckle, she said, "you're definitely anxious."

One of the things I think that people with anxiety struggle with is that you don't always SEE the anxiety. A lot of my anxiety over the years is wrapped up in my thinking, and the more I became aware of it, the more I saw. It's like 651657 internet tabs open all of the time... Facebook, Pinterest, How to Lose Weight, Decor Ideas for the Office, 30-Minute Meal Ideas, Helping Clients Process Grief, How to Remove Stickers, Essential Oils, Kinds of Aloe Vera, Self-Employment...

Another thing that's a challenge is that when most people think of anxiety, their mind's picture of a person with anxiety is someone who is shy. Someone who might not like being around people. And for sure...... that's not me. I'm an ENFP. I thrive being around people. I love it. I'd talk to a brick wall about something I was passionate about if it would listen. So when I was learning about myself and becoming more aware of my anxiety, this was something I got stuck on.

Enter, this amazing article: 12 Struggles of Having An Outgoing Personality But An Anxious Mind. It speaks to me. It revealed a lot of good stuff. I kept nodding my head in agreement with the words.

I recently shared this article with a client who experiences anxiety and struggles with not wanting to label herself as an anxious person. She said it helped to identify the yin and yang of anxiety... the push to be out there, but the pull inward to protect and preserve.