Jesus, Me, & Anxiety

I have trust issues and honestly quite a few people I know do as well. It's easy to have trust issues, because people are always disappointing us (even the ones we're supposed to be able to trust the most). One of the hardest things to do is separate how we trust people vs how we trust God. In this episdoe I talk about what God's teaching me about how to for real trust Him in the middle of my panic/anxiety. Also, box breathing is my new thing and I'm doing it everywhere! If you haven't heard about it, take a listen and try it. You won't be disappointed! 

Have you ever felt ashamed of your anxiety? Have you even felt unloved by God because you continue to struggle with anxiety? Today I talk about getting free from the shame associated with your struggle. Even if you're still dealing with anxiety daily, God is not ashamed of you and He is still passionately loving you through it! Don't give up on getting free from anxiety itself, but maybe your first step is getting free from shame.  Follow this podcast on Instagram @jesusmeandanxietyEmail jesusmeandanxiety@gmail.com to share your story with me (or if you just need a friend). 

New years can bring lots of excitement (especially this year in particular). But a new year can also bring unmet expectations, overly ambitious goals that become unattainable by March, or maybe just fear of the unknown. After year of putting "New Year pressure" on myself (unhealthy pressure at times), I made a decision this year to have one goal. It's definitely the best one I've ever had. Listen as I talk about life updates (where have I been for the last 6 months? ah!) and how Jesus is teaching me to experience more and more freedom from anxiety. Follow this podcast on Instagram @jesusmeandanxietyEmail jesusmeandanxiety@gmail.com to share your story with me (or if you just need a friend). 

Gratitude isn't a new concept. However, it doesn't really matter how many times we hear that we need to be grateful. If we don't choose to practice the discipline of gratitude, we'll never see it change our lives. This week I'm talking about how I'm attempting to make gratitude an everyday practice that flushes out my anxious thoughts. 

Are you anxious? Exhausted? Feeling like you barely have fumes to run on? Last year I stumbled upon a gift from God that truly eradicated my ongoing burnt out feeling. SABBATH!! If you've never honored Sabbath as a regular part of your life, please consider listening to this week's episode. I'm sharing how keeping Sabbath has decreased my anxiety, given me a mini-vacay every week (who doesn't want that?) and drawn me closer to the Father than ever before. Sabbath will change your life, I can guarantee that! 

Minimalism has become a hot topic and it might seem like a fad that will come and go. However, did you know that the core of what minimalism is actually started in the Word of God? In this episode, I explain how letting go of the world's standards to embrace God's standards, has not only alleviated my anxiety but drawn me closer to the Father as well. Even if you don't struggle with anxiety, this episode is for anyone who wants to create more space for God in your life. 

Do you know someone who deals with anxiety and you're not sure how to handle it? Maybe you've even made some mistakes in trying to "help". You're not alone. Kassi interviews her husband of 13 years, Vaughn, about what it's like to watch someone you love go through anxiety and not know what to do. They share their least favorite moments, talk about their "selfish" prayers, and recall the best ways to "help" someone you love walk through their anxiety journey (or any hardship really). You'll hear the best advice they've ever received in how to communicate effectively with the ones you love. This is an episode you don't want to miss! 

Kassi recalls a time in her life when anxiety and panic attacks ruled almost every decision she made. From where she would go to who she would be around, anxiety seemed to be the loudest voice she could hear and unfortunately she listened to it. But as ironic as it may sound, FOMO (fear of missing out) was what finally caused her to say "enough is enough". Find out what helped her push through one of the lowest anxiety valleys and how it continues to help her enjoy her present days as well. 

I guess this could be called COVID-19 Pt 2. As things continue to be weird during this pandemic, different triggers for anxiety can pop-up when we least expect them. One of my all time highest-ranking triggers for anxiety is perfectionism. And when the whole world seems to be falling apart, maintaining my own standard of myself or my expectations has become almost impossible. Thus, anxiety tries to creep in. BUT, I refuse to let it overwhelm me, and I refuse to get stuck in the anxiety fog. Listen as I talk about my "rona" break down and how perfectionism and overachievement can try to overtake us but Jesus can walk us right out of that break down! 

Maybe you've heard that the "joy of the Lord" is your strength but what does that mean exactly? I needed to know what His joy really was and how it could help me combat anxiety and life's tough situations. So I went on a hunt for the answer and was somewhat surprised by what I found. Join me as I figure out what His joy looks like and how it gives me strength to enjoy life even when I'm struggling. 

It's just not possible to have a podcast about anxiety and not talk about what just might be the #1 anxiety trigger all over our world right now, COVID-19! But don't pass this one up because you're tired of hearing about all of the statistics, and you're scared this will only make your anxiety worse. I can almost assure you that you'll break a smile while listening to me talk about my 5 stages of coping with COVID-19 and the 5 ways I'm combatting my anxiety during this incredibly anxious time. 

I've discovered that certain things trigger my anxiety more than others. One of my biggest triggers is feeling out of control! When circumstances can't be fixed or managed by me, my anxiety tends to take over. Join me as I discuss how I cope with feeling out of control when so much in today's world is completely out of my hands! 

It's easy to talk to God...or is it? There are so many influences on how we pray, what we say, and whether or not we're doing it "right". But the truth is, our Father wants a relationship with us. Regardless of the ugly or dark parts of our lives, His desire is to hear from us, not from the version of us we think He wants to hear from. Today has been established as a National Day of Prayer by our President. And now more than ever, it's important that we tell God about our fears and our deepest desires for ourselves and for our world. He's listening and He cares. 

In this first episode, I explain why I'm talking about Jesus, Me, & Anxiety! Some people might think you can't have an intimate relationship with Jesus while still struggling with anxiety and panic attacks on a regular basis (or maybe we just don't want to talk about it). But I do it and I want to talk about it.