You spoke. I listened.
You’ve expressed to me that you’re experiencing different levels of anxiety in your life that have become paralyzing for you! Anxiety when stepping out in new ways when it comes to your calling. Anxiety when you’re face to face with unexpected change. Anxiety when it comes to being vulnerable in your relationships. The list literally goes on to attest that so many of us are bound by fears that are stopping us from showing up for our lives in faith!
THIS is your practical journaling guide to untwisting personal anxiety no matter how big or how small. Whether it means collecting these printable, daily journal entries in a folder or notebook, the purpose of these guides are to help you track your personal progress with anxiety and become more aware of any recurring fear cycles that need to be broken within your thought processing. You are essentially becoming the student of your own mental wellness. You are accessing your own emotional state so you know how to maintain a healthy response.
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How to use your Self-Therapy Anxiety Guide
Letting it out
Walk yourself through the situation. Start by pinpointing the event or person that is triggering your emotions. Chances are, you’ll find this type of situation is a regular trigger for you. Knowing what your trigger is will help you step back and become more thoughtful of how to deal with this situation instead of being reactive and unthinkingly responding or letting it get the best of you.
Ask yourself: Why does this have so much power over me? Is my anxiety about the situation appropriate or created by my own fears and insecurities? What boundaries can I draw for myself?
Identifying
Journal the thoughts that are currently consuming you. Having a tangible layout of your thoughts can help you better resolve them, rather than letting them build and stir up in your mind. Write down everything that you’re thinking (now matter how crazy it may be). Analyze it and be your own judge.
Ask yourself: Is my thought process rational or led by fear?
Perspective Change:
Stop and shift. What are 2 potentially positive outcomes or other ways you could view the situation? What would you tell a close friend if they were in facing this? Unfortunately, just because we think things and they feel real, we assume they are. At this point you need to separate yourself from your feelings and begin weighing other possibilities. Remember FEAR is False Evidence Appearing Real.
If it’s out of your control, what can you do to let it go?
Getting Practical: First steps
Sometimes there are things we can do to alleviate the stress of the anxiety we’re facing.
Exp:
If you’re anxious about a conflict with a loved one or boss…
1st Step: Write down what you’d like to say to them and plan a time to talk it out.
If you’re worried about an upcoming exam…
Plan a study schedule into your week that will give you more confidence going in.
If you’re worried about how you’re going to afford a bill…
Consider taking a payday loan until your next check or call the company to work out another deadline.
Sometimes looking at the big picture leads us to catastrophizing our situation when all we need is that first step to get us out the pit. Think about what yours could be to help alleviate your worries.
Who can I talk to or ask for prayer?
Call someone you love and break out of isolation. Making connection with another person you trust at the peak of your anxiety can be vital to getting level headed toward emotional recovery. Consider reaching out to this person.
3 Things You’re Grateful For…
Problems will arise, that’s life, but often time how we look at the problem is the problem. Instead of focusing so intensely on what’s wrong take a step back and be grateful for the blessings you still have that someone else is praying for. Just because you had a bad day doesn’t mean you have a bad life or that things will always be this way. Take this moment to zoom out of your fears and appreciate the blessings that remain.
Happy Journaling!
Your sister,
