Last week while I was sick with the stomach bug, I paused taking the supplement I would usually take for anxiety. For the entire week I realized that I was surprisingly calm; no anxiety.
Panic and Fear
It was the first time in one year that I could go through my day, work day in particular, and not feel dreadful feelings of panic and fear. It made sense to me, given the stressful events that I went through in the last year and a half.
In 2015 I was in a job that caused me extreme stress and anxiety. Every day I drove to work fearing the day that lay ahead. I felt on edge throughout every work day. That job was full of tension and it ended drastically and badly. I took on a six-month temporary job after that, out of fear of committing to anything long term without first doing a trial run. That job had some challenges too and major changes. But by the end of those six months I finally went on to a job that I had set my sights on for years.
Lifestyle Changes for Reduced Anxiety
Lifestyle changes are always important for getting anxiety under control. In my article Natural Ways to Reduce Anxiety, I touched on lifestyle changes. In addition to the more obvious lifestyle changes, such as changes to your diet, for example reducing caffeine intake, you can also get rid of factors you know may be triggering the anxiety, such as leaving a stressful job. 
It’s now officially one year in my new job, and I am feeling a lot more at ease and settled. In this job I can be myself, I feel supported and I have the flexibility I was hoping for. For the initial three months I still panicked, because being a new job there is so much to learn and at that point I couldn’t tell whether things would work out well. Once I got to the six months mark it felt great, because I passed probation, but I was still on edge because I wanted to make sure I could get much further past just six months. One year later feels great. It brings a feeling of ease, especially because it is in a job that I love.
Breathe Easy
It feels great to be able to breathe easy again. In fact, I added to my nightly routine an audio track about inner peace. As I listen to it I breathe in peace and breathe out stress. Maybe that has played a role too in helping me overcome my anxiety. Meditation and exercises to de-stress at the end of the day does help.
Anxiety Comes and Goes
It is important to remember though that we all get anxious at times, and this is normal. This type of temporary anxiety that comes and goes is okay, such as if you have a job interview coming up. It is okay to feel anxious in such a situation. But that overwhelming feeling of panic and anxiety that is constant, is cause for concern and needs to be managed. Find out more here.
