This is probably the most vulnerable and personal article I am sharing with you today. Have you ever heard about anxiety and do you know how it feels? It happens suddenly, and you feel a period of excessive worry. You start worrying about everything, even about the things you have to do. You worry about your responsibilities at work, and all the obligations you have in your personal life. Then the constant aching feeling that you are not doing enough disturbs you, and so the blockage of letting go of the fear becomes very difficult.

My first anxiety attacks happened when I was 15 years old. I won’t go into too much detail, but to keep the long story short – this was the time I experienced the war in Kosovo. Armed conflict has devastating, long-lasting effects. As a highly emotional person I am, to experience such tough time as a teenager affected me as well. Thank GOD, war ended and nothing happened to my family, friends and relatives, but my anxiety left footprints inside me.

After few years I thought I already processed those feelings, however in my unconscious mind, I didn’t let go my traumatic memories, painful emotions and fears. Even after 10 years time after time, I would get anxious about little things, like an exam, a public speech, or seeing something dangerous on my way. The smallest things would trigger it and my heart would race uncontrollably and I would try to catch my breath. After ten minutes, I would calm down and then act like nothing happened.

Each time I had excessive work or social stress in my life, I would convinced myself that something horribly bad was about to happen. I had rapid heart-rate, heavy breathing – like something had tapped me in the chest. I had dry mouth, felt restlessness, and was easily irritable. Overall, I felt physically and mentally so fatigue, that sometimes I wasn’t able to get up from my bed and to start the day.

In the beginning of this year my anxiety was back and lasted for few weeks. It affected how I breathed, how I thought, how I ate, and how I slept. I felt so hopeless that the only thing that calmed me down was praying and meditating. I came to realize that I needed to change my thoughts, I needed to let go all my fears and trust my journey. All these ups and downs in life can either generate personal growth or create lot of personal fears. I choose to continue generating my personal growth and recognized that IF I have lot of fear, I won’t be able to change.

Daily stress is one of the primary causes of major mental and physical health problems in our lives: it can cause heart disease, cancer, anxiety, sleep deprivation, autoimmune disorders, weight problems, unhappiness, and even deep depression. Fact is that we are too busy in our daily life, we all have things to do, places to be and people to see. That’s when we forget to take care of ourselves and our mind.

Lately I heard that few of my relatives had anxiety too, and had dealt with similar struggles. Hearing stories like this, made me think that everyone has something they are fighting on. This conversation made me think, “What if I write about my story in hope to raise awareness of mental health?” My blog started as a blogazine, where I share style advice, travels and beautiful experiences, but today I am learning to get vulnerable with you and to share my innermost thoughts. Since the beginning of my blogger career, my goal was to inspire you, but if my personal stories can also inspire you, then I’ve done my job.

I have few simple (but not easy) examples how to cure anxiety naturally:  

Let go of controlling what can’t be controlled

It’s easier said than done, but if you can let go of things that you can’t control, you’ll be FREE. In other words, control is rooted in fear. When you pinpoint the fear, you will know how to control your mind. Always remind yourself: “Your goal is to grow so strong on the inside that nothing on the outside can affect your inner peace of mind without your conscious permission.

Pray or Meditate

I’m more spiritual than religious, and I might sound very cliché, but I learned what disciplines my mind and gives me inner peace. The best way to quiet the overactive mind is to practice yoga, mediate, and keep faith through prayers. Quote: “Prayer or meditation accomplishes many things, like it develops our character to its highest state, as well as it builds a mind that is always open to Spirit.“

Exercise, healthy diet & natural herbs

First of all,  exercising is a great way to burn off anxious energy and to reduce stress. I started practicing hot yoga and hot plates everyday, and it changed my life completely. Quitting coffee, was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Instead, I switched to matcha tea, and also drink lot of herbal tea’s such as: green and chamomile tea. Natural supplements also play a huge role to cure anxiety, so I take Omega 3, Spirulina and Ashwagandha regularly and try to eat healthy as much as possible.

Stay organized

This is a simple trick that helped me to cure the anxiety, and feel more relaxed. When my house is clean and my workspace is organized, I can breathe easier. Writing things down, planning everything carefully makes me feel more prepared for whatever the day throws my way.

Every negative has a positive

What’s positive about anxiety is that you are capable of feeling intensively. You are highly emotional, and have a strong instinct. Your instinct is your personal GPS system that guides and saves you. When something’s wrong, you’ll know it because your instinct will tell. Think of it as a warning sign that comes with an answer at the precise time for you. Anxiety may actually help you feel more motivated, focused and prepared when faced with challenges.

It’s OK if you need professional help

Sometimes it’s impossible to cure anxiety in natural way, so it’s ok to see a therapist and seek professional help. This doesn’t mean you’re weak, in fact you’re the complete opposite – you’re strong. 

For those who don’t have anxiety: Have empathy for others

Understanding others feelings is perhaps the most important virtues someone has. You never know what someone is going through, so always try to be kind to others. Just listening or have a small conversation with a stranger can completely change their day. I’ve developed a great deal of empathy for others as a result of my hardships. Just because someone asks for help doesn’t mean they are weak or mentally sick. Sometimes people cannot control anxiety because of circumstances, which is why they need someone who supports them.

P.S. Thanks to my love and my family for caring, listening to my worries, showing empathy, and always being there for me.

*Disclosure: This post is 100% not sponsored.