Facing AnxietyНамуна

WRITE IT OUT

Anxiety hijacks our emotions! It makes us feel certain things, and it rarely tells us why we’re feeling that way. So, it feels like we’re facing that flamethrower bear, but those feelings are so intense we can’t necessarily stop and process the fact that there is no flamethrower bear (and so there is no real reason to feel that way). Make sense? Basically, emotions are complicated, and unless we find a way to process what’s really going on, we’ll be at the mercy of anxiety.

One of the most helpful ways to slow everything down and process emotions is to write it out. We see this modeled for us by King David in the Psalms…many of them are him writing when he is clearly struggling with fear, anxiety, and sadness. You can call it journaling, writing in a diary, self-reflection…it doesn’t really matter what you call it or where you write it, this practice can be one of the most helpful tools you have in controlling anxiety. And here’s the thing: you’re not writing this down for anybody else. It doesn’t have to be formatted, it doesn’t have to make sense, who cares if there are run-on sentences or misspelled words…this is simply for you to be able to think through what’s going on inside. A lot of people actually enjoy writing with a pen and paper (old school, I know), but it can also be done on a computer, a note on your phone, a whiteboard if that’s your thing…it doesn’t matter.

But, here’s what determines if this will actually be helpful or not: you have to be honest when you write! Again, no one else is reading this, so don’t feel like you have to hold back or make it seem like it’s not a big deal. Whatever you’re feeling, whatever situation has you all jacked up on anxiety, just write it out. “This is what happened, and this is how I feel about it.” If you’re angry, write angry. If you’re sad, let some tears hit the page…it’s really okay. The point is that simply by putting those thoughts and feelings down on paper, you are admitting to yourself how you actually feel. And by admitting that and stopping to write it down, you’re giving yourself time and space to process those emotions. 

You may not end every writing session with all the answers or immediately feeling like your anxiety has left in an instant, but you’re making progress. Sometimes the most helpful part comes days later when you go back and read what you wrote, and you can already see how God has worked in that situation and how it’s not a big deal anymore. That helps build your confidence for the next time you’re in the middle of a highly anxious situation – you can know that God is working and it will be okay because you’ve seen it work out before. So today, grab an old notebook, a simple sheet of paper, or open up a fresh note on your phone, and start writing down what’s going on. Only you and God will ever see it, but it can be profoundly helpful as you work on facing your anxiety.