Coping With Anxiety on the Road
I have a couple of incompatible conditions. I don’t have much of a filter. So, I tend to say things without thoroughly thinking. That doesn’t always turn out well. I was also diagnosed with anxiety, and that’s not the best addition to my struggle. This means that my mind can be a cocktail of guilt, regret, and anxiety all at once.
Sometimes I say things that offend others without realizing it. And when I realize that I’ve said something offensive, I feel terrible for a long time. It could take hours or even days before I recover, no matter how profusely I apologize.
As I write this, I’m reeling from the guilt of offending yet another person. I learned for the millionth time that I’ve got to think for at least a millisecond before I speak. I honestly don’t know what else I can do. I’m not great at dealing with the extra anxiety that comes with that.
I used to take medication for my anxiety. It’s not debilitating anxiety, but it’s enough to ruin your entire day sometimes. I haven’t taken medication in a while, and I’m trying to find ways to deal with it better. It turns out a walk around nature does the trick.
If you work from home, you don’t get a lot of alone time. The chances of being alone are even fewer when your home is off the beaten path. I spend most of my time with Leila, Kalin, and all the animals.
There’s rarely a time when I can have my thoughts to myself. Even when I’m alone, I’m terrible at stopping and turning off the noise. When driving alone, I always listen to music or a podcast. I always watch something before I fall asleep. Even when brushing my teeth, I watch a video. I never stop the noise, and that’s important to do sometimes.
Along our journey, I’ve learned the importance of spending time alone for self-reflection. My nature walk inspired me to try doing that a lot more. I realize that it’s good for my mental health. The advantage of a nature walk is that there’s no cell service in the wilderness, so I won’t have anything to listen to other than my thoughts.
You do the best you can with what you have, so I try to make the most out of every day. I was excited to be in nature by myself because I don’t get to do that often. This alone time is valuable. Sometimes, you need the time to breathe.
One of the greatest pieces of wisdom I’ve heard is from my coach Kamille Rose. She said, “anxiety is worrying about the future, things that are probably not going to happen. And guilt is worrying about the past, things that you can’t change any more. So, why would you spend any time there?”
I’m working on that now. My walk in the wilderness gave me much-needed fresh air, and there was a noticeable difference in my anxiety levels. So next time you’re feeling anxious, try disconnecting. Maybe go hiking or running in nature. It’s incredible!
I know we usually share the fun side of RV living over here, but I hope this little piece of me will help you cope better with your anxiety. At the very least, I hope you realize that you’re not alone in your pain.
As always, we look forward to sharing more of our adventures with you!
Watch this video to see me succeed at not being attacked by a mountain lion on my nature walk:
