Teddy Jouret

That uneasy feeling before leaving your house. That vomit in the back of your throat as you worry what might happen the second you leave your sanctuary. It is a struggle to overcome irrational fears and anxiety, especially when you spend all you prep time overthinking. Getting out of a place of comfort to succeed is necessary in life, even if it is just forcing yourself to attend a social event.

The other day a close friend invited me to check out a painting bar. A little Bob Ross and booze, what more could a young man want? I was excited to check it out, but once again my nagging devil appeared. Sitting right on my shoulder. From the moment I woke up I heard these whispers, “What if? What if?” in my ear.

Being your own worst enemy and greatest op is especially difficult because it’s an internal struggle where the only person holding you accountable is yourself. What if you disappoint yourself? What if you fail and become an embarrassment? Flashes of imaginary scenarios might make you afraid to even step out of the door, but bypassing this fear and persevering is the best way to fight back. I often find that when I am having an especially anxious day, I am able to lessen my irrationality through a handful of ways. Box breathing, grounding techniques, and music can be wonderful, but sometimes they aren’t enough. Leaving your sanctuary and going on a walk can be the straw that breaks the camel’s back and sets you back into reality.

Even if we have methods of escaping this debilitating mindset, how can we avoid it in the first place? I believe that art is both an outlet and a metaphor for anxieties. We may spend the entire process cautiously laying brush strokes on a canvas, worrying about messing the painting up. We might take the course of inaction and never begin so that we never even face the possibility of ruining the painting. What good is a hobby if the thought of completing a project fills you with fear?

The best strategy is to lower our expectations and be accepting. My anxieties come from worrying about not being good enough or not meeting the high standards that I set for myself. This usually leads to me having blank pages of ideas and incomplete projects. The second I stop focusing on the possibilities and start living in the moment, I can finally relax. The whole purpose of a hobby is to relax and enjoy something, so why allow it to control you? We can only be controlled if we let ourselves be controlled, so we need to stop letting anxious expectations guide our actions. Going into an event with NO expectations is unlikely, but it is ideal. Don’t let an overthinking mind race, put it back into place so you can enjoy your life.

When I manage to let go and live in the moment, I am not living within the box I make for myself. There are no boundaries and no barriers. The playing field was never defined. I had a wonderful time hanging out with my friend and painting, I made myself proud. Not just for creating a painting, but for leaving my house. I bested my anxieties that day. Staying at home doomscrolling is never preferable to getting out there and making memories. Don’t be afraid to have fun. Don’t be afraid to spend time with people you like doing things you enjoy. Let life happen.