Grace Under Pressure: 5 Ways I Navigate Anxiety as a Catholic Business Owner
Here’s a little backstory about myself. In graduate school, I noticed an increasing amount of sleepless nights and nervousness about grades and doing well in school. I noticed my body experiencing severe physical repercussions due to my nerves and eventually got diagnosed with anxiety. I began taking anxiety medicine, and it changed my life. I was able to hear the voice of God again, see the light through the struggle of daily life as a graduate student, and feel very thankful for the gift of modern medicine.
Fast forward to 2023. I decided to no longer take the medicine because I felt led to work through my own anxious tendencies using natural methods and techniques. Let me tell you… that is definitely not for the faint of heart. Over the first half of 2023, I was hit with intense waves of crippling anxiety. I felt helpless and tempted to get back on the medicine. However, I pressed in and decided to stay the course.
I have learned that my anxiety and my work go hand in hand. I get anxious if there is a stressful situation at work or if things are not going as planned. Over the past months, I have realized that more situations cause me anxiety than situations that bring me peace. And with this realization, I am so grateful because it has helped me take ownership of my daily life. I can now better identify situations that will bring about anxiety, and I have little by little learned ways to help myself. Even though it has been a journey and a half, to say the least, I am thankful to now know myself better than I thought. With all this being said, I have by no means “arrived” and feel confident in my abilities to keep my anxiety at bay. I am just now more aware and have grown in knowledge. For all those who struggle with anxiety, I want to share five ways I have found great success in keeping my anxiety manageable throughout the daily struggles and frustrations of business ownership and life in general.
Cling to the sacraments, especially the Eucharist. Once the medicine was out of my system, I became hyper-aware of my littleness and my need for Jesus. I can do nothing except through Him. I highly recommend receiving Jesus as often as you can. He will be the buffer between you and your anxiety.
Always write down your To-Dos. A confused mind will not take action, and if you keep your to-do’s in your head, you’ll feel more frustrated trying to force yourself to remember everything. Do yourself a massive favor and keep a comprehensive to-do list. That way, it is on paper, and you can feel confident you won’t forget anything.
Commit to a Schedule. I feel anxious when I know I have business tasks that I need to do, but I choose to ignore them and not get them done. This generally always makes me feel frustrated and ultimately more anxious because now I have procrastinated. Schedule to-do’s out and commit. You owe yourself that discipline.
Get your Vitamin D. I cannot stress this enough. Make time to get sun every day. It will change your outlook and give you the extra energy you need to stay focused and an opportunity to breathe throughout the day.
Communicate with People. We are meant to be in the community. Anytime I realize I will have a quiet day, I prep myself for the quietness and allow myself to either go to a coffee shop and work, schedule an extra piano lesson, or call a friend. Human interaction is so important, and it has helped me stay calm, especially on those quiet days.
These are just a few ways I have found peace within the chaos of daily life as a business owner. Anxiety is no joke, but the Lord is good and real and He wants to heal you. He really does. For the longest time, I have always felt it was just “me,” but more and more, I realize it doesn’t have to be. If I let the Lord into my day, I can let Him take control, and I don’t have to be subject to anxious tendencies. If you haven’t had a chance, download this Litany of Peace (scroll to the bottom of the page) to bring the Lord into your workday. May God bless you as you continue your journey, and just know there are ways to keep your anxiety at bay. The Lord is ready and willing to help you.