Hello lovely ladies. I’m back from my 1 week off from blogging. It’s funny actually because I ended up getting sick. If you follow me on Facebook or Instagram you’ll have seen me post pictures of Flynn (my 1 year old) and I at Salt Cave therapy and bottles of naturopathic herbs. It’s been a full on month of sickness.
And I’m not sure about you but having anxiety and sickness at the same time can make it all the more overwhelming.
I’ve been so incredibly frustrated.
Even though I said I was having a week off from the blog to me that just meant I could still work behind the scenes on projects for the website but without the pressure of having to get a blog post and newsletter out. You know, mix it up because sometimes things get too much routine and you can lose the fun aspect.
So back to feeling frustrated. You know that feeling where you’re stuck at home on the couch under a doona, box of tissues on hand while your 1 year old throws every block and Tupperware around the house like he’s freaking Godzilla. Well, I could see everything become chaotic around me but I was so unwell I couldn’t do anything about it. I could see the washing piling up and I kept thinking about how I had course work to do for my mind detox training.
Then I had a day off from my teaching job which required me to write lesson plans out in the wee hours of the morning. Not just that but I had to text that I wasn’t coming in.
Any anxious ladies in the house hate calling into work sick? Well even just texting that decision made my anxiety heightened.
But here’s the thing I have been learning. You have to listen to what the spirit (for me that’s God) is telling you.
For me that was ‘Lean in. Let go of your need to people please. Find your identity in me. I made you and you’re amazing. You do not need to do more just to be seen and heard. You are enough because you are enough.’
Sometimes the only way for God to get my attention is through sickness.
So here are some lessons about anxiety, sickness and what you can do about it.
1) Anxiety is triggered in sickness because it makes everything feel out of control.
We have our well laid out plans for the week and along comes that dirty dog sickness (cause you’re barking like a dog with that nasty cold of yours right?) It throws all of your plans out the window (like that one time your mum got sick of your untidy room as a teenager and put your stuff out on the lawn). Us girls with anxiety, we don’t like feeling out of control. It can cause further angst. It is in this resistance though that anxiety is made worse. Accept the situation for what it is. It is a season. Let go of your to do list for the week and spend time healing.
2) Anxiety and sickness can make us feel like we have let people down.
You know because you have had to cancel plans so you can go to the doctors or you miss out on your Bible study group (that was me this week) which you were really looking forward to. Add on the fact you probably have to call all the places to cancel which then causes further angst. Yukky.
Your friends will in fact understand. They don’t want your cold the same way you don’t want it. It’s sad and it feels disappointing but rest in the knowledge that it will be much more fun once you are better. Plus, your value isn’t in what people think anyways; it is who you are in God.
3) Anxiety and Sickness is an opportunity to slow everything down.
Yeah I know you. Your anxiety makes everything move fast like women at a 50% off sale. Your mind is just ticking like a clock. Sickness is an opportunity to slow everything down. Let’s face it, you may even try to do stuff even if you’re sick but if you’re anything like me it just makes your sickness more dragged out. Use this time for gratitude. What opportunities did you have because of your sickness? For me it allowed me to journal more and this revealed to me a lot of my seeking and striving traps. Sickness made me realise how I try to find my value in what I do. By being cooped up at home I was able to have more snuggles with Flynn and some really good connections with God which I have been craving. I don’t want my mind to be switched on all the time. I want to find pockets of peace in the stillness.
So how does your anxiety fair when sickness happens? Do you panic, do you still try to get stuff done or do you actually surrender to the season? Comment below and let me know I would love to hear from you. If you find it hard to switch off and you want to feel more rested so you can function in your daily life I’d love to help. Coaching spots are limited and you can enquire here: thebutterflyhouse@dianabraybrooke.com I’d love to hear from you.
Please share the post using the buttons below and sign up for my newsletter as well while you are there to get access to the Freebie Vault full of e-books to help you dial down your anxiety.