Are you feeling an undercurrent of anxiety lately? Many of my friends exhibit symptoms such as unexplained fatigue, irritability, sleeplessness, and craving for carbohydrates and sugary foods. I am sensing a heaviness and an annoying low-frequency buzz across Social Media and in the lives of those around me. There is a way to combat that.
Do ONE thing today that makes a positive difference. Anxiousness is a byproduct of helplessness. Helplessness is a lying emotion designed to keep us bound to our circumstances. No matter how we feel, there is always something we have the ability to change in our lives.
Here are some ‘one’ things you can do today:
- Metaphorically or actually make your bed – Tidy up one thing in your life that is well within your reach. It could be an apology you need to extend or a medical appointment that needs to be scheduled
- Take out the trash, including trashy thought patterns roaming your head.
- Send a thank you note to the last person who went out of their way to help you.
- Take your coffee/tea/water break outside, and leave your electronics behind, including your cell phone. Look around your surroundings. Be intentionally aware of the beauty. There is always beauty in nature to be found.
- Exercise, even if it’s just walking up and down a block once.
- Unfollow Social Media accounts whose one goal is to stir up controversy so they can get more ad revenue. If a site is plastered with advertisements or pleas for donations, there is a good indicator they are rabble-rousing for revenue. If your anxiousness rises every time you visit a certain blog, Instagram account, or video news commentary site, it’s time to ditch that site
- Limit your news intake to 15 minutes a day, maximum. That includes surfing the net, watching cable news, etc. Get the headlines but don’t stay there and graze.
- Invest in an audio version of your go-to Bible version. The YouVersion app offers many audio bibles at no charge. Listen to encouraging sections of the Bible as you take care of a chore you’ve been avoiding.
- Don’t use your television as white noise. Only turn it on when you want to watch a specific program. Be intentional in what you are watching. Stop channel surfing just because you are bored.
- Put on instrumental worship music to fill the ‘space’ if you are used to having your TV on for background noise.
- Here are some Bible verses to meditate upon. God’s truth must reign over our circumstances and emotions, not the other way around. Our thought life affects our emotional life. Change what you think about and your emotional health will be changed for the better.
- Read another article I wrote on this subject: Anxiety has no rightful place in a Christian’s heart
Remember this truth: Anxiousness has no legal right to remain in the heart of any believing Christian. You have the power to kick it to the curb. Seek godly, wise counsel if anxiety has become an unwanted roommate in your life and you are having trouble evicting it on your own.
Until Next Week
©2022 Katherine Walden