Pennies

I want to start this post today about something that is so special and important to me. Through my journey with anxiety it is no surprise that I let my fears take over my faith. When our fears are overstepping our faith, we feel lost and alone. We need a reminder to trust in him. One thing that I look for when I am the most stressed is a penny. I know pennies are not used very often anymore, but finding a penny is like finding gold to me. Some people say that finding a penny with the heads up is “lucky” but for me, finding a penny is a reminder. My grandmother taught me that pennies are reminders for us to trust in his promise to us. If you look at the top of the penny it says “In God we Trust.” What a beautiful and simple reminder!!! Every time I am stressed out, I look for a penny, and you should too. I bet there will be one laying around somewhere if you look hard enough. I have an entire mason jar full of reminders to always remember “In God we Trust.”

While overcoming my anxiety I have learned a lot about myself. I have learned that I am stronger than I ever thought I was. I learned that googling pictures of baby sea turtles can make your day brighter. But most importantly I learned how to not let these fears take over my life. I am constantly looking for new ways to redirect my thoughts to positive ones. I no longer look for things to worry about that I can not control. The other day, I had a panic attack for my first time in three months. Quickly, I started to sweat and hyperventilate and immediately remembered how much I hate having panic attacks. It was then when I noticed that I am stronger than I ever thought I was. In the midst of this panic attack I was able to calm myself down and remember to trust in the lord. I was able to notice my anxiety and shut it down before it got any worse. I reminded myself that the fears I am having at this moment are not as powerful as his plan for me. And shortly after this panic attack I even found a penny, I looked up and just smiled.

I was able to redirect my thoughts and shut down my anxiety, which is something I never once thought I would be able to do. I use an app called “headspace” for meditation. This app has meditation sessions where someone talks to you throughout the 5 minute session. It teaches you to take one thought and let it go. It forces you to focus on your breathing and learn how to calm yourself down. When I was having my panic attack and started to hyperventilate, I was able to shift my thoughts towards my breathing and focus on calming myself down.

Another technique I have used for my anxiety is yoga. I watch youtube videos called “Yoga with Adrienne.” Yoga is similar to meditation because it relaxes the mind and body. It helps me redirect my thoughts on my breathing and my body. I usually do yoga in the mornings and sometimes I even do it before bed. If you struggle with anxiety I would highly suggest trying yoga.

I hope this blog post finds you well, my challenge for my readers today is to download headspace OR do a session of yoga with Adrienne. Do something to take care of yourself, because you are more powerful than you think.

Happy Monday, send someone a smile today!!