09/05/2026
THIS IS ANXIETY.....
The tricky thing is, you might never know.
This past week, you may have seen me wandering around a store without spending a dime and never realized I wasn’t really there to shop.
I was there to calm my mind.
I needed to be around people. To do something boring and normal. To just be somewhere.
You may have walked past my parked car without knowing I was sitting inside trying to hold back tears, gathering enough courage to just be me.
To everyone else, it was just another car in a sea of cars.
You may have seen me surrounded by people and never known that I still felt incredibly alone. Sometimes that loneliness feels like a hundred pounds sitting on my chest, making it hard to breathe.
You may have seen me out working in stores this past week, smiling and doing my job, never realizing the immense pressure I felt inside just trying to hold myself together and make it through another day.
This is anxiety.
And so much of it happens where nobody can see it, feel it, or understand it.
Part of me didn't want to share any of this.
Because being vulnerable means risking being judged, criticized, misunderstood, or having someone see that I don't always have it together.
But anxiety doesn't necessarily look the way people think it does.
Sometimes it looks like smiling, working, laughing, carrying on conversations, showing up and getting things done while your mind is fighting a battle nobody else can see.
You can do the counseling. You can work on yourself. You can learn your triggers and find healthier ways to cope. And yet, you can still have moments when the whirlwind of thoughts knocks you off your feet.
Anxiety can be subtle and heavy at the same time. It can whisper and scream. It can make even the strongest person feel incredibly small.
My battle with chronic anxiety began about 12 years ago while I was battling cancer. Looking back, I realize anxiety had probably been part of me long before then, but I just didn't understand it.
Throughout the years, loss, defeat, failure, changing friendships, love, heartbreak and simply living life have taught me more about myself than I ever imagined. Especially lately.
Not every day is a good mental health day.
Some days, strength looks like conquering the world.
Other days, it looks like wandering around one of your favorite stores, or scenic places for an hour because doing something completely ordinary helps quiet the noise in your head.
Both count.
Because anxiety doesn't win just because I had a hard day, or a hard week.
Sometimes we just need a reset.
And sometimes that reset comes from the most unexpected place.
A random stranger simply asking:
“How are you?”
And me answering:
“I’m okay.”
Not perfect. Not great. Just okay.
And in that moment, okay was enough.
That tiny interaction reminded me how much a simple act of kindness can matter when someone is fighting something you cannot see.
This is MY anxiety.
These are my experiences.
And I'm sharing them because maybe someone reading this needs to know they aren't the only one fighting an internal battle that can sometimes feel completely paralyzing.
Please reach out to someone.
Reach out to me if you need to.
Never allow anyone to make you feel ashamed, worthless, weak or invalid because you're struggling with your mental health. And protect your peace from people who intentionally make you feel rejected, unwanted or less worthy because of those struggles. We all struggle at times, we all make mistakes, and we are ALL human.
I've said it for years:
Be kind.
This past week reminded me exactly why.
Because the smallest act of kindness can become a tiny piece of hope for someone who desperately needs it, and you may never even realize what you did for them.
Be Kind. Remain Humble. Be Unrelentless.
✌️❤️
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