When Anxiety Shows Up Uninvited

Anxiety - that overwhelming, heavy feeling I often wish I could just flick away. It still catches me off guard sometimes, and when it does, I get frustrated. Upset, even. Why is it here again?

On Monday morning, I woke up with it. Full-on anxiety. I’d slept restlessly, tossed and turned through the night, and woke up with that familiar knot in my stomach. The strange thing is… there was no obvious reason for it. I had a lovely weekend - restful and joyful in equal measure. I was ready to start the week on a high. But my body had other plans.

I followed my usual morning routine - moved my body, did my workout. That helped, a bit. But it was still sitting there. That underlying unease.

Then I did something that made all the difference: I told my partner how I was feeling. Out loud. Through tears. Not in a polished, composed way, but honestly and vulnerably. And suddenly, something lifted.

That moment reminded me of something I keep learning again and again - we don’t have to carry it all alone. Sometimes we try to cover up big emotions with positive habits (even wellbeing routines!), hoping they’ll disappear. But emotions need space. They need to be felt and heard.

So, if you’re having one of those days… know that it’s okay. You don’t need to have it all under control. You don’t need to fix it all on your own. We all need a good cry and a listening ear now and then.

Let yourself be human. Let yourself be held.