It can be lonely to feel like you're the only one who struggles with something. For the longest time, that's how co-host Liz felt, too, as she struggled with debilitating anxiety. Liz opens up with producer Amy as they talk about Liz's journey with anxiety and how it's affected her life. They talk about the concrete steps that have helped Liz move through hard moments, how she's learned to become her own best advocate and how to care for herself well.
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“I have come to accept that anxiety is just something that will live with me forever, and that is okay. I'm glad I know that about myself, because now I know how to be my own best advocate, and I know how to care for myself.” – Liz Holtzman
“My mom, God bless her, she worked so hard and tirelessly to help me. Socially, culturally and societally, the conversations we have around anxiety and depression— and specifically in kids—are so different from what it looked like, you know, 15, 20 years ago.” – Liz Holtzman
“I have worked so hard on learning myself and standing up for myself and drawing boundaries where I need to to make me a happy, healthy person. And that's not easy for me as a people pleaser. It's hard. It's hard work, and but it pays off, you know?” – Liz Holtzman
“One of my biggest fears is ruffling feathers. But it has been such an important lesson for me to learn that I can come first. And I learning myself has been so such a crucial part of my anxiety journey. That has been probably the hardest part of it, I would say.” – Liz Holtzman
A Blessing for Your Week
Wherever you are, I hope you know that you’re not alone.
And you don’t have to do anything in this life alone, either.
There’s help for you,
There’s hope for you,
There’s a hand for you to hold onto.
I want you to know that voice in your head that says you don’t know anything,
Or you can’t do anything right,
Or you’re going to mess everything up—
That voice is wrong.
Because you are strong.
And you are brave.
You loved and delighted in, just the way you are right now.
Simplicity Tip of the Week
When anxiety starts to creep into your brain, it can feel like the loneliest place to be. But you don’t have to deal with these feelings by yourself.
You might feel better if you reach out to a friend, your partner, or another loved one to let them know that you’re struggling. They can’t really fix it, but I find that just telling David, “Hey, I’m starting to feel some anxiety coming on,” helps me feel better. Just saying those words out loud (or even in a text) helps me feel a tiny bit lighter, because I know the person I love can and will support me through it.
So right now, try to think about the person you want to reach out to when you feel those feelings begin to creep in. I promise you, they want to be there for you when you need them.
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Resources, Links, Mentions from This Episode
- [app] Calm
- [TV series] ER
- [TV series] The Last of Us
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