Here are some things some people might not know about me: I own a Star Wars onesie, I can devour a cake in a single sitting (not really but one can dream) and I battle with anxiety. Quite the plot twist eh? I'm sure many people who know me wouldn't have known that, and the people who truly know me- that statement makes sense. It's invisible to everyone else but it's a constant for me. From chest pains to full body sweats, it's different every time. Now, I always grew up thinking that to be strong was to show no weakness, show no negative emotion and show like you have things under control - if you have anxiety you understand the irony of this. I still struggle with trying not to seem weak but sometimes my thoughts and emotions get the better of me, and as anyone who knows, anxiety has a mind of its own. If you were to ask my parents, I had always been a nervous child for whatever reason. So whether my anxiety is a predisposed trait, or environmentally induced, it affects me almost daily. For anyone who has no experience with anxiety (congrats for you) then this may not be relatable for you. First things first, I'm not talking about the anxiety you get before a job interview, a first date or driving in England for the first time. I'm talking about the chest pains you get when having to call to order a pizza or the instant cold sweats when having to drive somewhere for the first time. Everyday the instances are different and everyday I learn how to lessen my anxiety- never before have I been so obsessed with how well I breath than when you're dealing with anxiety- breath in, breath out....shit....breath in again. But if I've realized anything, it would be that talking about our everyday struggles is becoming easier. We as a community are becoming more open about what we deal with which is so important. This is why I decided to write about this, in honour of Bell Let's Talk day. It's an amazing movement that shines light into all of our dark spots in our lives and makes them okay. But I have one request, let's make this not a one day event, let's use this day to inspire each day forward. Let's remember all the people we have in our corner and remember to reach out to one another. We are stronger together and we are never alone. So let's talk!
