can i just vent?

It is one of those days, people.

One of those days where I woke up, did what I intended to do, had an okay hair day, had fun at my job (a plus, always), had some good conversations... and I am sitting here feeling anxious. Anxious? Really, Anne?

As I age, I am becoming better and better at tuning into what my body is telling me, and why. The why is important, because we may feel nauseous sometimes but is it because we are truly sick with the flu or is it because we have something weighing on our minds that has us really freaked out and worried. I have found that, most of the time I feel sick, I am just really stressed and on the brink of anxiety attack.

There are a ton of tools that I have added to my toolbox over the years to combat my seemingly-unfair-but-natural-inclination towards being anxious all the freakin' time. Writing. Therapy (I love therapy). Yoga. Prayer. Spending quality time with quality friends. Running. A lot of these things are expressive and contemplative at the same time. Whether I am sweating it out in a vinyasa class or sitting at my desk writing, I am expressing myself with my body, mind, soul, and spirit while reflecting on my day, week, month, year, life. It's odd but I never make enough time in my life to do these things regularly. Why is that?

Sometimes other things weasel there way in as more important. Sometimes, it's just a matter of copping out! Excuses! Blech!

People, I am wrestling with some pretty deep issues of the self. We all are. In my world, these are deep issues where I am just striving for that connectivity. The desire to know that other people feel the same way about friendships, self-confidence, body image, food, intelligence, being a leader, learning how to follow other's lead, being a wife, being a daughter, being a sister, being a follower of God, travel, money, being a female American, and the list goes on. Literally, that is my list. You have your list, right? Take this post as me saying, "Hey, you have a list and I have a list. We're not alone. We are loved. We are of value."

I just started singing "I Will Survive" in my head.

And cue "Eye of the Tiger."